The first of a batch of six T129B helicopters from Turkey arrived in Manila on 9 January 2022 and received by officials of the Rodrigo Duterte government. Temel Kotil, General Manager of Turkish Aerospace, Inc. announced the delivery. The next two units are set to be delivered in 2023 and the last two in 2024.

Duterte’s Department of National Defense signed the PhP13.7 billion contract for the acquisition of the helicopters in July 2020. The multi-role attack helicopters will be deployed to the 15th Strike Wing of the Philippine Air Force.

Earlier, in December 2021, Elbit Systems of Israel delivered Soltam ATMOS 155mm howitzers to the Philippine Army. The Duterte government ordered two batteries from Elbit Systems for a contract price of PhP2.4 billion through a government-to-government deal with Israel. Newly-appointed Israel Ambassador to the Philippines Ilan Flus paid a visit to Duterte’s National Defense Secretary Gen. Delfin Lorenzana in November 2021, where they drafted a defense cooperation agreement to boost security ties between the two governments.

The latest arsenal from Turkey and Israel add to the weapons and munitions delivered by the Joint US Military Assistance Group to the Armed Forces of the Philippines on 4 July 2021. The delivery included heavy-caliber machine guns and thousands of rounds of ammunition. The US has provided the Duterte government nearly US$600 million of military assistance since it came to power in 2016.

Meanwhile, religious groups and peace advocates have been calling on the Duterte government for the resumption of peace talks with the National Democratic Front of the Philippines, instead of bombing communities and perceived camps of the New People’s Army.