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The Philippines, one of Indonesia’s neighbours, has discussed having nuclear weapons so as not to be trampled on by a superpower with atomic weapons. Photo/REUTERS/Romeo Ranoco
MANILA – Filipina one of Indonesia’s neighboring countries, is planning to have nuclear weapons on the grounds that they do not want to be “trampled” by an atomic-armed superpower.
The discourse was made by Chief Legal Counsel to the Philippines President Juan Ponce Enrile on Wednesday.
He suggested the constitutional ban on nuclear weapons be changed or revised to improve the country’s security capabilities.
“In my personal opinion, it is the most serious and unwanted provision of the constitution,” he said.
“In today’s modern world, a small country can protect itself from superpowers if they have nuclear weapons. We have to remove those restrictions and make countries flexible,” continued Enrile as quoted by the Inquirer newspaper, Thursday (23/3/2023) .
Enrile made the call during a meeting with a Senate panel on constitutional amendments and revisions.
Enrile explains that the nuclear weapons ban was introduced by the government of former president Corazon Aquino, who came to power in 1986 as a result of the People Power Revolution.
“The country must have nuclear weapons, so that our people will not be trampled on,” Enrile added.
Enrile did not mention a nuclear-armed superpower that could potentially “trample” the Philippines. However, this neighboring country of Indonesia is currently at odds with China, which is indeed nuclear-armed, over a territorial dispute over the South China Sea.
