Defense chiefs laud victory in Marawi

MANILA, Philippines — Defense ministers of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) yesterday condemned extremist violence including the siege of Marawi and lauded the Philippines for liberating the city from Maute terrorists.

Leaving the United States for Asia, US Defense Secretary James Mattis also commended the Philippines yesterday for the defeat of the Islamic State-inspired Mautes.

In a statement, ASEAN defense chiefs condemned “in the strongest terms the attacks carried out by violent extremists across the world, particularly in Southeast Asia, including the attack by the Maute group in Marawi City, Philippines, which led to casualties, destruction of properties and displacement of people, among others.”

The officials of the 10-nation grouping signed a joint declaration discussing various regional issues and concerns at the ongoing 11th ASEAN Defense Ministers’ Meeting and 4th ADMM-Plus meetings in Clark, Pampanga.

The Philippines, this year’s ASEAN chair and host, Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam reaffirmed the commitment of each country to work together to counter all forms of terrorism and violent extremism.

Defense ministers and officials of the ASEAN member-states also expressed their full support for the Philippines’ efforts to address the security and humanitarian situation in Marawi.

They likewise acknowledged the need for enhanced regional cooperation through intelligence- and information-sharing, increasing surveillance and promoting awareness among the public about the threat of radicalism among member-states.

The ASEAN defense officials further pledged to work together to combat terrorism in all its forms and manifestations in accordance with the ASEAN Convention on Counterterrorism and the ASEAN Comprehensive Plan of Action on Counterterrorism as well as identify ways to strengthen counterterrorism cooperation among ASEAN defense establishments.

Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana, who officially opened the assembly, said defense officials and delegates participating in the event already had a productive discussion during yesterday’s special breakfast meeting regarding the challenge of terrorism and violent extremism, especially in Southeast Asia.

“Our breakfast meeting is an indicator of a robust state of defense cooperation among ASEAN member-states as we have already had substantive talks even before the ADMM began,” he noted.

“This morning’s meeting will be an opportunity for us to focus on the progress of defense cooperation to include new initiatives and the way forward,” he said.

Mattis praises Philippines?

Mattis yesterday began an Asian trip aimed at reaffirming American support for regional allies.

He echoed President Duterte’s statement last week that Filipino forces had “liberated” Marawi, after five months of bitter urban fighting that had claimed more than 1,000 lives, even though fighting has continued.

“One of the first things I’m going to do when I get there is commend the Philippine military for liberating Marawi from the terrorists,” Mattis told reporters on his flight to the Philippines, according to an official transcript.

“It was a very tough fight as you know in southern Mindanao. And I think the Philippine military sends a very strong message to the terrorists.”

Mattis flew to the Philippines to attend the ADMM meetings. His Asian trip, which will also take him to Thailand and South Korea, comes ahead of US President Donald Trump’s visit to Asia next month.

NoKor high on agenda

Mattis also said that curbing military threats from North Korea would be high on the agenda.

Tension has been high on the divided peninsula for months with Pyongyang staging its sixth nuclear test and launching two intercontinental ballistic missiles that apparently brought much of the US mainland into range, while Trump and the North’s leader Kim Jong-Un trade threats of war and personal insults.

Mattis said he would discuss the “regional security crisis caused by reckless... North Korea,” among other issues.

At the forum, Mattis is also expected to hold three-way talks with his counterparts from South Korea and Japan – key US allies in Asia – before visiting Seoul for annual defense talks.

“We will discuss... how we are going to maintain peace by keeping our militaries alert while our diplomats – Japanese, South Korean and US – work with all nations to denuclearize the Korean peninsula,” Mattis told reporters on his aircraft.

The ASEAN defense ministers also issued a joint declaration strongly urging the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea “to immediately comply with its obligations arising from all the relevant United Nations Security Council Resolution” and expressing “support toward the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula in a peaceful manner.”

The resolution also called for “the exercise of self-restraint and the resumption of dialogue in order to de-escalate tensions in the Korean Peninsula and beyond.”

Peace, stability in South China Sea

The importance of maintaining and promoting peace, security, stability and “freedom of navigation in and over-flight above the South China Sea” and conformity to the decision of the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) were also touched during yesterday’s signing of the joint declaration.

The UNCLOS favored the Philippine position in its territorial dispute with China in South China Sea, also called the West Philippine Sea.

In a nine-page resolution, the defense ministers who expressed their support for the verdict, also cited the “need to enhance mutual trust and confidence, exercise self-restraint in the conduct of activities and avoid actions that may further complicate the situation and pursue peaceful resolution of disputes in accordance with international law, including the 1982 UNCLOS.” – With Ding Cervantes, AFP