MANUEL “MANNY” P. MOGATO is Editor-at-Large and opinion writer, writing under the column “In the Trenches.” As Reuters Manila correspondent, he and two other colleagues won the Pulitzer Prize for International Reporting in 2018 for their coverage of the Duterte administration’s war on drugs.
Transforming an insular army
It was only when former president Benigno Aquino revived a 15-year military modernization program that the military leadership began to focus on external defense capabilities.
Vested interests and charter change
Lawmakers may have their own personal reasons for pushing charter change but there is a common denominator — they want to hold on to power and stay forever in their positions.
Fighting future wars
The Philippines cannot afford to be the weakest link. It has to prepare for future wars. It has to modernize quickly.
Marcos Jr.’s balancing act with the Dutertes
Bongbong will be tiptoeing on the issue of human rights and the ICC investigation until such time he has consolidated political power and is strong enough to break up from the alliance with the Dutertes.
Training for war
Filipino army soldiers are, for the first time, test firing an FGM 148 Javelin, or an advanced anti-tank weapon system-medium (AAWS-M) man-portable, during this month’s bilateral Army-to-Army conventional exercise, Salaknib, in northern Luzon.