Manila to study such agreement amid ‘tensions’ in Asia, other areas
The Philippines is studying a possible tripartite agreement with the United States and Japan amid tensions and uncertainties in the region and in other parts of the world.
“It is something that we certainly are going to be studying upon my return to the Philippines,” President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said in an interview with Kyodo News in Tokyo where he is on a five-day official visit.
Mr. Marcos cited “confusing” and “dangerous” situations such as tensions in the South China Sea as well as Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
“It is part of an ongoing process that we are undertaking to make more solid partnerships and alliances that we are beginning to put together in our area,” the President said.
During the meeting between Mr. Marcos and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida Thursday, both leaders “expressed serious concern about the situation in the East and South China Seas and strongly opposed the actions including force or coercion that may increase tensions.”
“The two leaders also expressed concern for and strong opposition to economic coercion, and affirmed the importance of transparent, fair development finance,” Tokyo said in a press statement.
Both Mr. Marcos and Mr. Kishida have likewise agreed to strengthen Manila and Tokyo’s defense and security relations amid growing Chinese military pressure in the region.
Lawmakers have expressed openness to the proposed trilateral agreement, but said it has to be ratified by the Senate.
“This is nothing new as there had been a similar undertaking and the most recent of which was the Trilateral Cooperative Arrangement between Malaysia, Indonesia and the Philippines, a regional commitment focused on measures to address maritime security threats and challenge,” said Sen. Jinggoy Estrada, chairman of the Senate defense and security committee.
Estrada said any agreement must “protect and promote our national interest.”
Sen. Francis Escudero said the planned tripartite agreement must be “formalized” in the form of a treaty that “should go through the process of ratification by the Senate as it involves not only the security of our country but the welfare and future of our people as well.”
“As the saying goes, ‘the devil is in the details’ and the more people look at and review it, the better for our country and people,” Escudero said.
Speaker Martin Romualdez, for his part, said the prospective Visiting Forces Agreement or similar pact between Manila and Tokyo is “a work in progress.”
“That’s ongoing…that’s what they call ‘a work in progress.’ So there’s always conversations along those lines. And lines of communications are very, very wide open especially after the visit,” said Romualdez, who is part of Mr. Marcos’ official delegation.
“We’re all in the same region and we’re all actually experiencing the same issues and concerns and the President always works multilaterally but that’s not without exception to having bilateral agreements, for instance, Philippines and Japan, or one that would somehow effect like a trilateral agreement.”
“When it comes to peace, stability, we all know these security arrangements are necessary because the stability in the region promotes prosperity, and that’s the bedrock of any strong economy,” Romualdez added.