‘Calling America’ as Duterte invokes defense pact in sea row with China
Credit to Author: CATHERINE S. VALENTE, TMT| Date: Wed, 17 Jul 2019 04:26:18 +0000
President Rodrigo Duterte has invoked the Philippines’ Mutual Defense Treaty (MDT) with the United States (US) amid the country’s territorial row with China in the West Philippine Sea (South China Sea).
“I’m calling now America. I’m invoking the RP-US pact. I would like America to gather all their Seventh Fleet in front of China. I’m asking them now. I will join them,” Duterte said during an interview over Pastor Apollo Quiboloy’s television program early Wednesday.
The Seventh Fleet, part of the US Pacific Fleet, is stationed in Japan.
The President said he would bring Supreme Court Senior Associate Justice Antonio Carpio, former Ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales and former Foreign Affairs secretary Albert del Rosario — the critics of his West Philippine Sea policy — with him.
“I will ride on the boat where admiral of the US. But I will drag along this Carpio and the rest of Albert. When the Americans say, ‘we’re here now’, ready, I will press it,” Duterte said.
“Maybe that would be the end of Palawan. Palawan may be devastated, maybe occupied or if there will be nuclear bombs it will dry up. So nothing will grow here, we can just wait, just like a big hole coming our way, to suck us to eternity,” he added.
Duterte’s statement comes days after he told The Manila Times in a recent interview that he was ready to join the US should the country’s long-time ally declare war with China to stop its intrusion in the West Philippine Sea.
Under the MDT, the Philippines and the US committed to defend each other in the event of an armed attack in the Pacific. The agreement was signed in 1951.
On Tuesday, the Philippines and the US reaffirmed their alliance by signing an agreement to expand areas of defense and maritime cooperation.
Among these are improving defense infrastructure, updating personnel and logistics procedures, and increasing mutual communication and coordination on operational elements of regional security.
Both sides also said they would plan a range of activities to improve maritime domain awareness.
Philippine Ambassador to the US Jose Manuel Romualdez said the two countries were in talks to “strengthen” the decades-old treaty and that this may be taken up in a scheduled meeting in September.
Washington’s top diplomat Mike Pompeo previously vowed that US would secure and defend the Philippines in case of an attack in the disputed region of the West Philippine Sea.
Suggestions about invoking the MDT with the US surfaced following the sinking of a Filipino fishing boat by a Chinese vessel near the Recto Bank last month. The 22-man crew of the fishing boat was abandoned by the Chinese vessel and were rescued by a Vietnamese boat.
Sen. Panfilo Lacson had said that the MDT could be used to justify US presence in the disputed waters to avert whatever possible armed hostilities that could take place.
However, Malacañang said invoking it when the incident has not been settled yet would be imprudent and irresponsible.
Duterte’s latest statement also came as the Philippines marked the third anniversary of The Hague arbitral court ruling that handed Manila a legal victory against Beijing.
But the President said that the Philippines did not have the capability to enforce the ruling of a United Nations-backed arbitral tribunal in 2016 dismissing China’s claims in the disputed sea based on its nine-dash line policy.
“I’ve been frank, I cannot win a war with China. Pero kung gustuhin nila (But if they want to), I’m putting China on advice, I’m awaiting word from the United States that if they’re willing to go to war to drive you, then I will do it,” Duterte said.
This was not the first time Duterte had dared the US, which has been conducting freedom of navigation operations routinely in the South China Sea, to challenge China’s massive maritime claims and to preserve access to the waterways.
The President had dared the US to “fire the first shot” at the Chinese in the disputed waters.
Since assuming the presidency, Duterte has sought to downplay Manila’s maritime dispute with Beijing in exchange for improved ties with the world’s second largest economy.
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