Amid SCS rows, PHL prods US on defense treaty review

THE Department of National Defense (DND) wants a review of the 1951 Mutual Defense Treaty with the United States, saying that it is high time both sides looked into its provisions given the dispute in the South China Sea.

In moving for the review, the defense department wanted Washington’s definitive stand on whether Manila could count on its ally’s support in case of a confrontation with outside forces in the nine islets and features that it occupies or claims in the West Philippine Sea.

Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana hinted that the islets and shoals should be covered by the treaty, which, on one hand, obligates the US

to militarily come to the aid of the country once it is attacked by other states.

“We are thinking about that also .... We really wanted to review that also,” said Lorenzana during his yearend news briefing on Thursday. “I think we have been discussing that with our staff inside the DND.”

While the country has occupied or claimed the islets and shoals in the West Philippine Sea, its claims were being

“We are going to [review the MDT]... we’ll need to look at the provisions there, discuss with the end view of reviewing to make it stronger...[the US] is the only country we have an alliance with.”—Lorenzana

challenged aggressively, specifically by China, which has already built fortified bases on its man-made islets in the South China Sea.

The Scarborough Shoal and Ayungin Shoal in the Kalayaan Island Group, which are within the country’s exclusive economic zone, have seen China’s military and paramilitary activities, with Chinese forcing sealing off Scarborough and harassing resupply missions to Filipino troops in Ayungin.

The territorial dispute is listed by the Armed Forces of the Philippines as the primary source of the country’s external threat.

Lorenzana said the review of the Mutual Defense Treaty and its provisions have been initially raised with US officials a month ago in Hawaii by Defense Undersecretary Cardozo Luna.

“I think, it was Undersecretary Luna, who was invited to Hawaii to attend a conference where he said maybe we should start reviewing our MDT,” the defense chief said.

“We are going to [review it]…we’ll need to look at the provisions there, discuss with the end view of reviewing to make it stronger or whatever,” he added.

Lorenzana said the review is needed in order for the country to make its alliance with the US stronger, “because it is the only country we have an alliance with.”

Meanwhile, Lorenzana said the military will name its two brand-new frigates as BRP Antonio Luna and BRP Jose Rizal once they enter the service of the Navy. The two frigates, which are being built by South Korean Hyundai Heavy Industries, are being projected to be delivered one after the other in 2020 and 2021.