By 03 Maret 2017
Duterte wants helicopter with night vision capability (photo : Aviation Week)
“Well, we need equipments. Until such time that we have the fast boats, the eight remaining frigates or whatever, that was ordered from Japan, but we paid for it, actually. And the – We plan to purchase more helicopters,” President Rodrigo Duterte told reporters on Tuesday at Malacañang Palace with Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process Secretary Jesus Dureza.
The President made the statement when ask regarding the military’s self imposed six-month deadline to crush terrorist Abu Sayyaf Group.
Duterte, when he mentioned the “eight remaining frigates or whatever”, was referring to the Japan-made 44-meter Parola-class patrol vessels for the Philippine Coast Guard, 10 were ordered with 2 already delivered.
He did not mention the number of helicopters to be procured. “The numbers, I would not want to tell you now but I have to improve on our night-flying capability. We’re nearing to it. We’re nearing to it,” he said.
“As a matter of fact, we had an operation by air and by ground the other day in Jolo,” he said.
(Update)
