As the government moves to resolve the sinking of a Filipino vessel in the Recto Bank in the South China Sea, Malacañang said that the Philippines will invoke its Mutual Defense Treaty with the United States if it is the right thing to do.
Presidential spokesman Salvador Panelo made the statement after US Ambassador to the Philippines Kim Sung said that foreign government-sanctioned attacks initiated by militia or armed civilians in the South China Sea may trigger the MDT of the US and the Philippines.
In an interview with One News, Kim said that the US will honor the provisions of the treaty which binds the two countries to support each other in case of an external attack.
“US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo made clear that because the South China Sea is part of the Pacific, under the treaty itself, any armed attack on Filipino vessels, Filipino aircraft, will trigger our obligations under the Mutual Defense Treaty,” Kim said.
Panelo said that the Philippines will also honor the agreement if that is what it dictates.
“Kung yun ang nakalagay sa treaty, ‘di yun ang susundin natin. Kung ‘yun ang agreement,” he said. “Kung ano ang dapat nararapat doon sa agreement na ‘yun, we will do that,” he added.
The Palace official, however, refused to comment if the incident in the Recto Bank qualifies as an event which can trigger the MDT.
“Hindi pa nga natin alam,” Panelo said, referring to what really happened in the disputed waters.
Chinese fishermen are not allowed to fish in Recto Bank, located within the country’s exclusive economic zone, Panelo said.
“Ang sagot diyan, syempre hindi,” he said when asked if Chinese fishermen can fish in Recto Bank. “Basta kung teritoryo natin ‘yun at nandun sila, mali ‘yun siyempre,” he added.
Panelo, however, said the government would wait for the “facts” about the maritime incident, including why the Chinese vessel was in the country’s territorial waters in the first place. (Argyll Geducos and Genalyn Kabiling)
