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Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana gave President Rodrigo Duterte a near-perfect rating for his administration's accomplishments in peace and security in the past five years.

In a Pre-State of the Nation Address (SONA) forum on Thursday, Lorenzana emphasized that terrorist and violent activities were reduced if not ended during the term of Duterte.

"I give him yesterday a 90 percent rating as far as the peace and security is concerned. Now if we look at the present situation compared to pre-2016 we will see that there were many kidnapping for ransom there in Jolo, the war in Central Mindanao and burning of equipment conducted by the New People's Army. All of those if not ceased, it had been reduced considerably'', he said.

"We have improved the peace and security in the country, that is why I said that we in the Department of National Defense and the Armed Forces of the Philippines give him 90 percent rating during the last five years," he added.

In another Pre-SONA forum on Wednesday, Lorenzana cite the accomplishment of the Duterte administration in modernizing the AFP.

"As far as the DND is concerned, the rating of the president is 90 percent because he provides additional equipment for our soldiers," he said.

However, Lorenzana said there is still a need to acquire more assets and equipment to improve the capability of the armed forces.

"We should acquire more additional equipment because we need it especially the ships and aircraft," he said, referring to what they should still do in the remaining term of the Duterte administration. Robina Asido/DMS