Phl won’t stand alone’
US President Barack Obama addresses Filipino and American troops at Fort Bonifacio’s Army gym yesterday. VAL RODRIGUEZ
MANILA, Philippines - The Philippines will not stand alone when confronting external attacks, as the United States is firm in its commitment to help its ally under a 63-year-old mutual defense agreement, US President Barack Obama said yesterday.
“This treaty means our two nations pledge – and I’m quoting – our common determination to defend themselves against external armed attacks, so that no potential aggressor could be under the illusion that either of them stands alone,” Obama said in a speech delivered before some 500 Filipino and US servicemen at Fort Bonifacio in Taguig City shortly before his return flight to the US.
He was referring to the 1951 Mutual Defense Treaty (MDT) with the Philippines.
“Our commitment to defend the Philippines is ironclad and the United States will keep that commitment, because allies never stand alone,” he added, drawing applause from the audience.
Obama’s remarks came a day after critics and observers noted his seemingly guarded and carefully crafted statements on China’s growing aggressiveness in staking its claim to almost the entire South China Sea. Obama’s state visit was the last leg of his four-country Asian tour.
When asked last Monday whether the US would defend the Philippines in the event of armed hostilities with China, Obama did not give a direct answer, stating instead that Washington did not intend to “counter” or “contain” Beijing.
He also reiterated Washington’s position against taking sides in territorial disputes.
In his speech yesterday, Obama noted the importance of upholding territorial integrity and freedom of navigation.
“Deepening our alliance is part of our broader vision for the Asia Pacific. We believe that nations and peoples have the right to live in security and peace, and to have their sovereignty and territorial integrity respected,” he said.
“We believe that international law must be upheld, that freedom of navigation must be preserved and commerce must not be impeded,” he said.
“We believe that disputes must be resolved peacefully and not by intimidation or force. That’s what our nations stand for. That’s the future we’re working for.”
China’s military buildup is causing jitters among its neighbors, from whom it is trying to wrest control of some islets, shoals, sandbars and coral reefs in the West Philippine Sea and South China Sea.
The Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan have overlapping claims over some uninhabited but potentially mineral- and oil-rich areas in the region.
Taking advantage of the Philippines’ weak military, Chinese forces have occupied areas that are well within Manila’s 200-nautical mile exclusive economic zone, including the Panganiban (Mischief) Reef off Palawan and Panatag (Scarborough) Shoal off Zambales.
China has also set up a blockade around Ayungin (Second Thomas) Shoal to prevent supplies from reaching a grounded ship that serves as a Philippine military outpost.
Manila has brought its territorial row with China before an international arbitral tribunal, but Beijing rejected such an initiative, saying it is only willing to negotiate bilaterally.
- With Paolo Romero
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