DEFENSE Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said on Sunday that technological know-how and existing laws prevent the country from developing and pursuing a nuclear strike capability.
The defense chief issued the statement in response to the suggestion of former Sen. Juan Ponce Enrile that the country should consider developing its nuclear defense capability in order to defend the West Philippine Sea.
Enrile, a former defense minister during the Marcos years, said going nuclear for the military is the only way the country can fend off China in the territory that Beijing disputes.
However, Lorenzana said this would not be feasible given the constraints posed by the Filipinos’ lack of training in handling nuclear material.
“Develop our own nuclear weapons to enforce the Arbitral ruling? Very unlikely for several reasons. First, we are not technically and technologically capable,” he said.
“Second, we are a signatory to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, “ he added.
The defense secretary said that even the country’s laws do not allow Filipinos to develop and acquire nuclear weapons, much more for defense purposes.
“Our Constitution states that we denounce war as an instrument of national policy. Nuclear weapon is not a defensive weapon but an offensive one,” Lorenzana said.
While he welcomed Enrile’s suggestion, the defense chief said it would not be the best way to deal with the territorial issue.
“We appreciate Senator Enrile’s patriotic duty to suggest how to protect what is legally ours, but developing a nuclear weapon is not the way to proceed,” he said.