MANILA – Philippine Department of National Defense (DND) Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. reiterated on Friday that the Philippines retains the right to train and equip its military forces as it deems necessary.
Teodoro’s comments came during a press briefing at Camp Aguinaldo, Quezon City, where he was asked about the arrival of additional Medium Range Capability (MRC) Typhon missile systems from the United States. The defense chief did not confirm or deny the reports, stating, “We will train as we see fit, and the Philippine Armed Forces will equip as it sees fit.”
Earlier reports indicated that the US would deploy additional Typhon missile systems to the country. The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) welcomed the news, with spokesperson Col. Francel Margareth Padilla emphasizing, “The more, the merrier,” highlighting the benefits of additional assets and training opportunities.
The first MRC Typhon missile system arrived in the Philippines last year and was used for training during the 2024 “Salaknib” and “Balikatan” exercises. It was initially stationed in Northern Luzon. Col. Michael Rose of the US Army’s 3rd Multidomain Task Force stated that they are “always looking for opportunities to do live-fire with the system.”
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