The Philippines is not yet capable of defending disputed territories in the West Philippine Sea (South China Sea) from other claimants, Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said on Monday. Lorenzana made the admission a week after he gave assurances that the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) gave priority to territorial defense in areas being encroached by other countries such as China. “At present, we don’t have any capabilities…we don’t have capital ships, we don’t have the weapons,” the Defense chief said in an interview with ABS-CBN News Channel in Singapore.

Reyes, D. (2018, June 05). PH not capable of defending territories. The Manila Times, p. A2.