Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro, Jr. and Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Chief of Staff General Romeo Brawner, Jr. met on Wednesday with members of the Association of Generals and Flag Officers, Inc. (AGFO) to discuss key security issues.
According to Department of National Defense (DND) Spokesperson Arsenio Andolong, two defense officials discussed with former DND Secretary Renato de Villa and the AGFO President and Board of Trustees Vice Admiral Emillio Marayag the priorities of the DND under the current administration.
Andolong said Teodoro also shared the department’s policy direction on crucial defense challenges, particularly on the issue of the West Philippine Sea (WPS). He said the DND chief thanked the AGFO for its support in the ongoing government efforts to address these issues.
Among the hot topics they talked about include the continuing “Chinese aggression in the WPS and the illegal crime hubs posing as offshore gaming operators in the country,” according to Andolong.
On June 20, the AGFO in a statement commended the Philippine Navy’s professionalism in response to the June 17 clash in Ayungin Shoal, while stating its support for the government in its stance to assert the country’s sovereign rights in the WPS.