DND eyes review of PH-US mutual defense treaty
Department of Defense (DND) Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said he is considering a review of the Mutual Defense Treaty (MDT) between the Philippines and the United States, citing its relevance in the present setting.
Lorenzana made the statement more than a month after President Duterte raised concerns about the growing tension between the United States and China, saying the Philippines has a military alliance with the US.
In a press briefing in Malacañang, Lorenzana said “that maybe the time has come for the MDT to be revisited, given that its provi-
sions were made in 1951.” He said he wants to find out if the MDT is worth keeping given that the document was created 67 years ago.
"That was done in 1951. And when that was done in 1951 there was this raging Cold War. Do we still have a Cold War today? Is it still relevant to our security? Baka hindi na (Maybe not)," he said Friday.
"Let us look at it dispassionately without considering past ties (and) considering future ties. Dispassionately. Ito bang treaty na ito (Does this treaty) still serve our interest as a nation?" he asked.
"Hindi naman sinasabing strengthen natin para tulungan tayo pag may gulo. Sino ba'ng kalaban natin (We are not saying now that we should strengthen it so they will help us in case a war breaks out. Do we have an enemy now)? Are we still hoping somebody will attack us here in the Philippines? I don't think so," he added.
According to Lorenzana, he directed their lawyers to start looking into the treaty, to see if the MDT should be maintained, strengthened, or scrapped totally. He said he will also personally read the treaty in its entirety again to see for himself.
Lorenzana said that one of the factors he is looking into is how the MDT is helping the Philippines is positioning itself in the changing security structure in Southeast Asia.
"As a secretary of defense, tinitignan ko kasi 'yan eh (I'm also looking at it). With what's happening in the region... where do we put ourselves in this changing security structure na nangyayari ngayon ditto? (That is happening now) So, let's see," he said.
He also pointed out the tension between the US and China in the region. "Naggigirian na sila diyan (There's now tension there). There was this near collision between these two destroyers in the Spratly's. Eh kung magputukan 'yan (What if they exchange fire)? We'll be involved because we are part of the... MDT natin is (because of our MDT)," Lorenzana said.
"An attack on one is (an) attack on (the) other. So ma-involve tayo diyan (So we will really be involved)," he added.
In a doorstop interview during the 33rd Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit in Singapore last month, President Duterte said he
was worried about any tension that may arise in the resource-filled area, adding that the Philippines cannot pick sides because of the MDT it signed with the US in 1951.
"I am worried. I expressed it last night because we have a defense treaty... mutual defense treaty with the US," he said.
US: A helpful ally
Lorenzana, meanwhile, recognized that the Philippines has benefited a lot from the United States because of the MDT and its side agreements.
"Nakatulong naman 'yung US sa atin. Nakakabigay naman sila ng yearly grant sa ating military (The US has been a lot of help to us. They've been giving our military yearly grants)... training, and some things," he said.
“Yung (The) Visiting Forces Agreement. Before that is 'yung bases ng US dito, 'yung Clark pati 'yung Subic (The US bases in Subic and Clark). We benefited a lot there. 'Yung EDCA ngayon (The Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement) is still part of MDT. There are benefits that we get from this MDT," he added.
"But overall, tignan natin (Let's see). The bottom line is, is it to our interest to have this continued. 'Yung mga provisions ba 'yan are (Are these provisions) still relevant today?" he added.