MANILA, Philippines — Amid the increasing tensions in the West Philippine Sea, it’s about time the Philippines review the Mutual Defense Treaty with the United States, the National Maritime Council (NMC) said Wednesday.
“For me, the Mutual Defense Treaty was established way back in 1951. Since then, the strategic landscape has changed significantly. So, maybe it’s about time to review it,” NMC spokesman Undersecretary Alexander Lopez said during a Malacañang press briefing.
The Mutual Defense Treaty was a pact signed on August 30, 1951, between the Philippines and the US that required the two states to support each other should another state attack the Philippines or the US.
According to Lopez, the treaty is outdated and may need revisions to better serve the interests of the involved parties, adding that reviewing the Mutual Defense Treaty is important to ensure it can address emerging security challenges in Philippine waters.
His remarks came in response to a question about Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro’s call to expand or amend the treaty, allowing the US to assist the Philippines in countering China’s illegal activities in the West Philippine Sea.
Lopez did not provide further details on the matter, instead deferring the issue to the Department of National Defense.
When asked about the government’s push for more international action against China, Lopez said it’s part of the diplomatic steps being planned to engage with Beijing.
He added that working with both old and new allies and gathering support from like-minded nations, is also part of the plan.
Ambassadors from the US, Japan, and the European Union have recently backed the Philippines after the recent maritime incident with China in the disputed maritime region.
“We all know that nobody believes China’s narrative. Nobody does. As for us, we’ve already based our position on UNCLOS (United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea) and the 2016 arbitral ruling. That’s our strength,” Lopez said.
Under the ruling that the Philippines won in 2016, China’s claim in the South China Sea (now West Philippine Sea) has no legal basis and the Philippines has the entire rights in the maritime region. But China dismissed the ruling and kept on asserting dominance in the region by deploying several Chinese ships.
The Philippines won the 2016 arbitral ruling that nullified China’s vast sea claims in the West Philippine Sea and reaffirmed the maritime entitlements of the Philippines.
