‘Alarmed’ Marcos Jr. No trigger for MDT

MELBOURNE – While expressing “great alarm” over the latest incident involving Filipino and Chinese vessels in the West Philippine Sea (WPS), President Marcos said he did not see it as a trigger for the Mutual Defense Treaty (MDT) between the Philippines and the United States.

The US reaffirmed yesterday its commitment to defend the Philippines under the MDT, following China’s recent aggression in the WPS.

In Melbourne for the ASEAN-Australia special summit, however, Marcos said in a video statement, in response to a media query: “I do not think that it is a time or the reason to invoke the Mutual Defense Treaty. However, we continue to view with great alarm this continuing dangerous maneuvers and dangerous actions that are being done against our seamen, our Coast Guard.”

Four Filipino crew members on a resupply mission to Ayungin (Second Thomas) Shoal in the WPS were injured when water cannon blasts from the China Coast Guard shattered the windshield of their boat on Tuesday morning. Coast guard vessels of the two countries also collided.

“The United States reaffirms that Article IV of the 1951 US-Philippines Mutual Defense Treaty extends to armed attacks on Philippine armed forces, public vessels or aircraft – including those of its Coast Guard – anywhere in the South China Sea,” US State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said.

In a statement, Miller said, “The United States stands with our ally the Philippines following the People’s Republic of China (PRC)’s provocative actions against lawful Philippine maritime operations in the South China Sea on March 5.”

At a press conference, the State Department spokesman said China’s latest actions “demonstrate once again a reckless disregard… for the safety of Filipinos and also for international law.”

He continued, “By impeding the safe operation of Philippine vessels carrying provisions to Filipino service members stationed at Second Thomas Shoal, the PRC interfered in lawful Philippine maritime operations and in Philippine vessels’ exercise of high-speed – of high-seas freedom of navigation.”

Miller reiterated that the US will stand with the Philippines “in the face of these dangerous and unlawful actions,” but