The Philippines purchased anti-ship missiles from India under the administration of former president Rodrigo Duterte, not under current president Ferdinand Marcos Jr’s. contrary to a claim by a TikTok post.
User @jrastacaan uploaded on Dec. 29 a video of an Indian news website’s report about relations between Manila and New Delhi, captioning it:
Nako po Tahimik lang talaga ang Marcos admin nakabili na pala ng 100 BRAHMOS MISSILES sa india last 2022 may kakalagyan talaga tong china kong magkataon marami siya makakalaban na bansa (Wow, the Marcos administration may not have announced it but it has bought 100 BRAHMOS MISSILES from India in 2022. If it comes down to it, China would be no match against its many rival countries).
The video ran the following text:
Phils.Bumili ng 100 BRAHMOS MISSILES SA INDIA last 2022 (Philippines purchased 100 BRAHMOS MISSILES FROM INDIA last 2022)
BRAHMOS refers to BrahMos Aerospace, an aerospace and defense company that designs, develops, produces and markets “supersonic cruise missiles.” It is a joint venture between India and Russia.
While the Philippine government did buy an anti-ship missile system from BrahMos in 2022, the purchase happened before Marcos took office in mid-2022.
The Department of National Defense awarded the $374 million “Shore-Based Anti-Ship Missile System Acquisition Project” to BrahMos Aerospace on Dec. 31, 2021. The document was posted on the DND’s Bids and Awards Committee website on Jan. 12, 2022.
BrahMos and the defense department held a ceremonial contract signing for the project on Jan. 28.
A separate notice to proceed with the purchase was issued on Feb. 14, 2022. It contained a contract agreement between the DND and BrahMos for three batteries of the anti-ship missile system.
The TikTok post has garnered 19,800 views, 766 likes and 97 comments as of writing. (AJL)