MARCOS EYES MORE MISSILES

President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. has reaffirmed the Philippines’ openness to acquiring more Indian-made defense systems, including additional BrahMos missiles and naval equipment, as the country ramps up its military modernization in response to rising tensions in the West Philippine Sea.

- By ARGYLL GEDUCOS

“We are not girding up for war,” Marcos said in an interview with Indian news website Firstpost. “We are simply reacting to the challenges that we are facing. Those challenges, in terms of defending our maritime territory, have increased in the past years,” he added.

Marcos emphasized that the defense buildup is not intended to provoke conflict but is instead a constitutional responsibility. “It is our duty to defend the country,” he said.