Lorenzana says PH still needs US military aid

U.S. Marine Corps Brigadier General John Jansen (left) and Commandant of Philippine Marine Corps, Maj. General Andre Costales Jr., stand side by side during the opening ceremony of the annual Philippines-US amphibious landing exercise (PHILBLEX) inside the Marines headquarters in Taguig City on Tuesday. The exercise comes amid pronouncements by President Duterte that the war games will be the last in his six-year term. Romeo Ranoco, Reuters

Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana believes President Rodrigo Duterte may have been misinformed about the state of the Philippines' joint military exercises and defense agreements with the United States.

Speaking on ANC's The World Tonight Tuesday, Lorenzana said he would meet with Philippine military leaders to assess these exercises and defense pacts with the US.

Lorenzana estimates, the evaluation will start in one to two weeks.

"Pagka-na-assess natin ito, mabibigyan natin ng magandang information si Presidente para naman makapag-assess siya nang maganda...kasi mukhang misinformed lang siya ngayon...hindi lang siguro nainform si Presidente na mayroon ngang pakinabang," he said.

[After we assess this, we will be able to give the President good information so that he may also assess well...because it seems he is misinformed right now..perhaps, he has not been informed that there is benefit to it.]

"Siguro mabiyan lang siya ng tamang information para naman makita niya, para iyong mga sinasabi niya ay tumpak

sa mga facts ng mga nangyari," he said.

[Perhaps, the President just needs correct information so that his pronouncements are according to the facts of what happened.]

Lorenzana also believes, the Philippines still needs the assistance of the US military as the country continues to fight the Abu Sayyaf and other possible security threats.

"Well, as of now, dahil mahina pa tayo, kailangan natin sila dahil kailangan natin ng ally, ally with a strong country," he said.

[Well, as of now, because our country is still weak, we still probably need them. We need a strong country for an ally]