SCS collision not reason to invoke defense pact with US–Marcos

MANILA, Philippines/MELBOURNE, Australia — A recent collision of Philippine and Chinese vessels in the South China Sea is not the time or reason to invoke a Mutual Defense Treaty with the United States, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said on Wednesday.

But the continuing dangerous maneuvers and actions against the Philippine coastguard is viewed with great alarm, Marcos told reporters in Australia. The 1951 treaty between the Philippines and United States binds them to defend each other if under attack.

READ: PH and China coast guard ships collide in West Philippine Sea 

“I do not think that it is a time or the reason to invoke the Mutual Defense Treaty,” he said in a video statement released by the Malacañang Presidential Communication Office on Wednesday before his return flight to Manila Wednesday night.

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“However, we continue to view with great alarm this continuing dangerous maneuvers and dangerous actions that are being done against our seamen, our Coast Guard. And this time, they damaged the cargo ship and caused some injury to some of our seamen and I think that we cannot view this in any way but in the most serious way,” the President added.

READ: China Coast Guard fires water cannon at PH ship again 

“Once again, we will make our objections known and hope that we can continue to communicate to find a way so that such actions are no longer seen in the West Philippine Sea,” he went on.

Marcos just attended a special summit between the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) and Australia to mark 50 years of dialogue partnership.