Not The First Time

11 June 2017

A U.S. P3 Orion surveillance plane flies over Marawi City as Philippine Air Force helicopters and bombers continue air strikes on Friday, June 9, 2017.

But contrary to the media reports, it was not the first time that Americans presence was made manifest, through the P-3 Orion, as the mainstream media would like people to believe. The technical assistance was there since 2003.

In fact the US air assets were there all the time from Zamboanga siege to battles in Basilan and Jolo hovering above Abu Sayaff's head up to this time. This Orion plane even regularly lands in Zamboanga's Edwin Andrews Air Base (EAAB) at night beyond the prying eyes of the media.

The Philippine military would not have told it as it is, including the presence of the UAV predator drone that is kept at the EAAB hangar. It's neither confirmed nor denied. You can however take a look at it without bringing a camera.

PAF operated UAV's are generally treated confidential but the Insitu ScanEagle unmanned aircraft system (UAS) was declassified together with other assets because they were recently used. The last time they were used was five years ago.

These UAS equipment's however the PAF would gladly disclosed. The Israeli made ones are however classified.