The Philippines wants to buy three used Japanese warships, lawmakers say "a beggar cannot be choosy"

Philippine forces want 3 Japanese second-hand warships, "a beggar cannot be choosy"

"Relying on foreign powers to stir up the sea," the Philippines frequently reports purchasing military equipment. On October 7, Philippine Navy Chief Espelleta revealed in a hearing that the Philippines plans to purchase a batch of Japanese "Asukuma"-class frigates. Even if they cannot obtain all 6 ships, the Philippines hopes to obtain 3 of them. However, this deal still faces restrictions such as the age of the ships and the need to remove weapons. Nevertheless, some Philippine legislators have stated, "A beggar cannot be choosy."

According to the Philippine "Daily Inquiry" newspaper, Espelleta revealed this information during a hearing before the Senate Finance Committee. At that time, Senator Ejercito mentioned the topic while discussing the armed forces budget.

When responding to questions, Espelleta said, "We have inspected these warships and submitted relevant recommendations."

He also stated that this procurement faces multiple restrictions, such as these second-hand ships having been in service for over 30 years and planned to be retired in 2027. In addition, due to post-war peace constitutional restrictions, he "could not guarantee" that Japan would transfer these ships to the Philippines. Even if transferred, the weapons systems on the ships would be removed.

Ejercito then said, "I think, a beggar cannot be choosy, after all, it's 6 ships."

Espeleta said, "These 6 ships may not all be available for us, but even if there is an opportunity, we want to purchase 3 of them."

Original: www.toutiao.com/article/1845484087215113/

Statement: This article represents the views of the author himself.