The United States and the Philippines have reaffirmed their commitment under the Mutual Defense Treaty of 1951 during the official visit of Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana to the US Department of State in Washington, D. C. on Wednesday.
US State Department Spokesperson Heather Nauert disclosed that Lorenzana met with US State Secretary Michael Pompeo where the two officials tackled cooperation on addressing regional security challenges, including the militarization of the South China Sea.
Nauert said that Pompeo has assured Lorenzana of the US readiness to continue its support for the modernization of the Armed Forces of the Philippines.
“Secretary Pompeo and Secretary Lorenzana discussed cooperation on addressing regional security challenges, including the militarization of the South China Sea and the threats posed by terrorism and efforts to achieve denuclearization in North Korea,” Nauert said, in a statement released by the US State Department via US East Asia and Pacific Media Hub.
During the meeting, Pompeo also conveyed to Lorenzana that the US will provide assistance in humanitarian relief efforts in the areas devastated by Super Typhoon Ompong.
“Secretary Pompeo also expressed condolences for the destruction and loss of life caused by Typhoon Ompong and offered U.S. assistance in humanitarian relief efforts,” Nauert said.
Lorenzana’s visit to Washington came after three members of the President Donald Trump’s cabinet had sought a dialogue with Malacanang about the country’s plan to procure defense equipment.
Last month, President Rodrigo Duterte revealed that he received a letter from the Secretary of State, Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross and Secretary of Defense James Mattis reaffirming US’ “strongest support” for the effort to modernize the AFP.
The letter from the three US officials came after visiting US Assistant Secretary of Defense for Asian and Pacific Security Affairs Randall Schriver advised against buying Russian weapon system and platforms after Manila expressed the possibility of buying Russian arms.
The US Cabinet officials said the “special relationship” between the Philippines and the United States “will only grow stronger by increasing our dialogue and cooperation especially on security”.
“We hope to partner in all the significant defense procurement,” the U.S. officials said in the letter to President Duterte.
“We hope to partner in all the significant defense procurement,” the US government letter added.
Under the MDT 1951, the US and the Philippines are bound to “defend themselves against external armed attack, so that no potential aggressor could be under the illusion that either of them stands alone in the Pacific area.”
The treaty also provides that “an armed attack on either of the Parties (US, Philippines) is deemed to include an armed attack on the metropolitan territory of either of the Parties, or on the Island territories under its jurisdiction in the Pacific Ocean, its armed forces, public vessels or aircraft in the Pacific.
