National Security Council: PH not interfering via EDCA sites; defense, OFWs top concerns
Philippine bases will not be used as a staging point for American troops if war breaks out over Taiwan, the government said late Saturday.
“The Philippines has no intention of interfering in the Taiwan issue and will not allow itself to be used by other countries to interfere,” National Security Council (NSC) spokesperson and Assistant Director-General Jonathan Malaya said in a statement.
“National Security Adviser Eduardo M. Año has made our position clear that the increased security cooperation between the Philippines and the United States is meant to develop and strengthen the capabilities of the Armed Forces of the Philippines to enable it to protect and defend the territory of the Philippines and is not meant to contain or counter any nation in the region or to interfere in another nation’s affairs,” he added.
The statement was issued in response to Chinese Ambassador Huang Xilian, who said at a recent forum that the United States was using the Philippines and taking advantage of the situation in the Taiwan Strait to expand its military presence in the region.
But Malaya said the country is only concerned in modernizing and improving the defense capability of the AFP.
“The Philippines is primarily concerned about improving its defense capability, modernizing our equipment and assets, and developing our infrastructure. These are the primary reasons why we are increasing our security cooperation with the United States under the 72-year-old Mutual Defense Treaty between our two countries,” Malaya said.
Malaya also chided the Chinese ambassador for making what some saw as a veiled threat against the overseas Filipino workers in Taiwan.
“We observe the One China Policy and subscribe to the ASEAN principle of non-interference in approaching regional issues. Our primordial concern in Taiwan is the safety and well-being of the more than 150,000 Filipinos living and working on the island and we take grave exception to any effort by guests in our country to use this to fear-monger and intimidate us,” Malaya said.
Malaya said Año met the Chinese envoy earlier last week and assured him that the additional Philippine bases in which US troops are allowed under the Expanded Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA) were not meant for offensive operations in the region or for interference in Taiwan.
“He assured the Chinese ambassador that the Philippines is for the peaceful resolution of the Taiwan issue and for the continued stability of the region,” Malaya said.
Año also denied that the US had dictated which bases would be made accessible under the EDCA.
Senate Deputy Minority Leader Risa Hontiveros on Sunday said the Palace should expel the Chinese ambassador for threatening Filipinos and the country.
“He has no business being a diplomat if he is unable to engage with us in a respectful and dignified manner,” Hontiveros said.
He, along with his country’s ships and artificial islands in the West Philippine Sea, should pack up and leave, she added.
Hontiveros fired back at Huang, who had said the Philippines should deny US troops access to its bases if it were truly concerned about the safety of 150,000 OFWs in Taiwan.
“These are truly disgraceful statements from Ambassador Huang Xillian.
How dare he threaten us,” d Hontiveros said.
“Our OFWs in Taiwan will continue to work where they work. End of story,” she also said.
“We will never let Beijing decide on the future of Filipino families.
Their destiny is not in China’s hands,” she said.
She also said the Philippines will never interfere with the issue of Taiwanese independence.
“That is exclusively for the people of Taiwan to tackle,” she said.
“We, in the Philippines, respect the right of the Taiwanese people toself-determination, and this right must be upheld by all other nations that share this planet, even including the autocratic regime of China,” Hontiveros said.
If China has issues with the US, she said China shouldn’t drag the Philippines into their fight.
She pointed out it is China who has been stoking tensions in the region, claiming territories that aren’t hers.
“It is China who continues to bully, harass, and intimidate other smaller nations in the region. It is China who is making all this mess,” she added.
On Saturday, Naval Forces West (NFW) announced that joint Philippines and US forces on April 14 successfully conducted the amphibious raid exercise of this year’s “Balikatan” in Palawan.
NFW chief Commodore Alan M. Javier said the exercise was done at the beachhead of Barangay Samariñana in Brooke’s Point, Palawan.
“Amphibious raids are usually performed against the enemy. It is accomplished by employing a special force into an area that is controlled by enemy forces. Amphibious raids are commonly quick and swift leaving minimal footprints on the ground,” Javier said.
The successful conduct of the amphibious raid in the “Balikatan” 38-23 reinforces the Philippine Navy’s commitment in ensuring national sovereignty, security, and stability, he said.
This year’s “Balikatan” started April 11 and is set to end on April 28.
Meanwhile, the Philippine Army said it successfully executed the Javelin anti-tank weapon system live-fire exercise with the US Army and US Marines forces as part of the introductory activities of the Balikatan 38-23 at Range 2, Fort Magsaysay, Nueva Ecija on April 13.
“The US Army, US Marines, and PA troops fired five missiles which are facilitated by the anti-tank trainers during the simulation of the combat scenario, a part of the 38th iteration of Balikatan,” Army spokesperson Col. Xerxes Trinidad said in a statement Saturday.
“The PA soldiers applied the skills they learned through lectures and simulation exercises… The Army troops showed their tactical skills, accuracy, and confidence in using the Javelin weapon, which could be one of the integral armaments of the PA’s future arsenal,” he added.
PA chief Lt. Gen. Romeo S. Brawner Jr., who witnessed the exercise with United States Army Pacific commander Gen. Charles A. Flynn, applauded the smooth execution of the exercise.
“By sustaining the build-up and expansion of our areas of collaboration, we can achieve our shared goal of maintaining peace and security in the region,” he added.
Brawner also stressed that the exercise allowed the PA troops to deal with the real-time experience and to observe how the weapon works and reacts in the environment, particularly in an actual warfare setting.
“What you see here with ‘Balikatan’ and ‘Salaknib’ is an expression of us trying to commit to enabling and assisting the Philippine military (in) being able to protect their national sovereignty and protect the territorial integrity of the Philippines,” Flynn said.