By Lira Dalangin-Fernandez
InterAksyon.com
InterAksyon.com
The USS Bonhomme Richard and Tortuga, seen moored at Subic Bay in this October 2012 file photo. U.S. NAVY PHOTO
MANILA, Philippines – Senior lawmakers on Friday resisted government plans to allow more American troops in the country amid China’s increasing aggression in territories in the South China Sea that are being claimed by the Philippines.
Reports said Friday that Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin and Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario have written the leaders of the Senate and House of Representatives, stressing that the US troops’ “increased rotational presence” will help the country attain a “minimum credible defense” to guard its territory as it boosts its own military.
“The Philippines will shortly enter into consultations and negotiations with the United States on a possible framework agreement that would implement our agreed policy of increased rotational presence,” Gazmin and del Rosario were quoted as saying in the report.
Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr., Deputy Speaker Giorgidi Aggabao and Majority Leader Neptali Gonzales II said they have yet to read the letter.
But asked about his views on the possibility of having more US troops in the country, Aggabao said he does not believe the Americans will go to war for the Filipinos.
“Unless we garrison the American troops in the disputed shoals, ready to do violence in our behalf, their presence in the country will only have marginal benefit to us. Let’s face it, the Americans will not go to war for us,” he said.
“Perhaps, we need to revisit first the Mutual Defense [Treaty] to make very certain that an aggression against us would automatically trigger a retaliation from the US,” Aggabao added.
Akbayan partylist Representative Walden Bello said that if the letter were true, then Del Rosario and Gazmin are making a “reckless move that will make us a frontline state like Afghanistan.”
“This is balance of power politics that won’t do anything except bring us closer to conflict with China, like the 19th century balance of power politics in Europe that led to World War 1,” Bello said.
Bayan Muna party-list Representative Neri Colmenares said the plan was not necessary. He said requests for help against China should be addressed to multilateral bodies, not the US.
“We should defend our territory against China’s bullying, but we ask help from multilateral bodies and the international community rather than the US, who has practically occupied the countries it supposedly helped like Iraq and Afghanistan,” Colmenares said.
“The Department of National Defense has been given more than P40 billion for modernization on top of its huge regular budget but [has been hounded by allegations of] corrupt practices like “pasalubong and pabaon.” The DND is an embarrassment to the country,” he added.
The Philippines is said to have one of the weakest militaries in Asia.
Under the 1951 MDT, the Philippines and the United States are bound to help defend each other’s territory in case of external attacks.
The Philippines and the US are also signatories to the Visiting Forces Agreement that allows visits by American forces for joint military exercises and trainings with Philippine forces and are intended to strengthen the bilateral defense partnership under the 1951 RP-US Mutual Defense Treaty.
It was concurred in by the Philippine Senate on May 27, 1999, giving it the force of a treaty, but is considered a mere executive agreement by the US.
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