Phl, US to share real-time info on security developments

MANILA, Philippines - Philippine and US security officials yesterday vowed to engage in “real-time information sharing” on security developments and reaffirmed their commitment to the Mutual Defense Treaty (MDT).

These were discussed during a meeting yesterday between Defense Undersecretary Honorio Azcueta and Gen. Martin Dempsey, chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff, in Camp Aguinaldo, Quezon City.

“We discussed information sharing, real-time information sharing,” Azcueta told reporters after the meeting.

“We welcome his visit and we appreciate it and it is a manifestation of their commitment to us under the Mutual Defense Treaty and we have a strong and vibrant security and military relationship as well as cooperation,” he said.

The MDT was signed by the Philippines and US in 1951 “to declare publicly and formally their sense of unity and their common determination to defend themselves against external armed attack.”

The treaty also seeks “to strengthen their present efforts for collective defense for the preservation of peace and security.”

Under the treaty, the two countries, separately or jointly, shall maintain and develop their individual and collective capacity to resist armed attack.

The US has vowed to honor its commitment under the treaty but remains silent as to whether it would be invoked in case tension escalates in Panatag (Scarborough) Shoal.

The Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP), for its part, said the Filipino should be wary of the US plan to boost its presence in the Asia-Pacific region.

In a statement, CPP claimed the Aquino regime and the US have been discussing arrangements that would provide American forces greater access to Philippine land, water and airspace.

It added that the government would provide support facilities for the docking and refurbishing of US warships and stationing of US troops and base for the operations of US spy and attack drones.

Azcueta said the modernization of the military was also brought up during the meeting.

“We informed him (Dempsey) that we (had given) them a list (of equipment), if they can provide us with their excess defense articles,” he said.

Azcueta said the list includes long-range patrol aircraft and radars.

The list was forwarded by defense officials to the US government during the bilateral strategic dialogue last January.

The US military officer, however, did not provide any specific commitment on the matter.

“He (Dempsey) said he knows about the list... He did not say anything. That was just the statement so it’s just a courtesy call,” Azcueta said.

Azcueta and Dempsey also emphasized the need for more bilateral exercises to enhance the US and Philippine troops’ interoperability. – With Delon Porcalla, Jaime Laude