Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Chief of Staff General Benjamin Madrigal Jr., said the engineering equipment acquired from China for the rehabilitation of war-torn Marawi may be used to repair the facilities in Pagasa Island.

“It depends. If needed, why not?” Madrigal said in an ambush interview Wednesday during the symbolic handover of engineering equipment for Marawi in Camp Aguinaldo.

Some of the equipment were displayed in front of the Lapu-Lapu grandstand categorized by distribution to the AFP’s major services.

The equipment includes telescopic cranes, tracked dozers, road graders, scoop loaders, backhoe loaders, road rollers, transit mixers, dump trucks, and water lorries.

The ceremony, held at the parade ground in front of the grandstand, was led by Defense Undersecretary Cardozo Luna as the guest of honor and speaker representing Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana.

Luna, said the equipment was acquired from China to support the rehabilitation of Marawi City and nearby affected areas.

“The AFP engineering equipment acquisition project with an approved budget for the contact in the total amount of P1,560,000,000 is the first project implemented after the signing of the MOU (memorandum of understanding) on defense logistics cooperation between Republic of the Philippines and China,” he said.

“On 07 December 2017, the negotiation between the DND/AFP and Polytechnologies of the People's Republic of China was successfully conducted. Subsequently, the notice of award was issued to Polytechnologies last 16 January 2018,” he added.

Col. Noel Detoyato, AFP Public Affairs chief said the supply and delivery of the engineering equipment is under Horizon 2 of the AFP Modernization Program which was completed on February 12, 2019.

“The first batch containing 114 units of equipment were delivered at Camp Pintoy, Iligan City while the second batch containing 134 units were delivered in Camp Aguinaldo, Villamor Airbase and Bonifacio Naval Station, all in Metro Manila,” he said. Robina Asido/DMS