US to help Phl on external defense – DFA

MANILA, Philippines - The planned increased “rotational presence” of United States troops here would be geared toward training Filipino soldiers for “external defense,” a Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) official said yesterday.

DFA Assistance Secretary for American Affairs Carlos Sorreta told the House appropriations committee that the annual Balikatan joint Philippine-US military exercises “are focused on counter-terrorism and internal defense.”

He said Balikatan training is mostly on “on the ground, small arms and tactics, infantry-type, and disaster relief and humanitarian assistance.”

“The plan is to shift the focus to external defense using more sophisticated technologies and equipment, including sonars and scanners, and air and naval assets,” he said.

He said such technologies and equipment could also be used for disaster relief and helping and rescuing distressed people during calamities.

He pointed out that the envisioned type of new training would complement the administration’s efforts to modernize the country’s air force and naval assets.

“The envisioned activities will be larger than Balikatan exercises, will cover things that we have not been doing with the United States, and will involve different sets of participants and more visits,” he stressed.

The DFA official added that there is no template for the planned expanded US troop presence and joint military exercises, and the shift in focus.

“We are starting almost from zero,” he said.

Responding to questions, Sorreta said the planned rotational presence and activities would be covered by a “framework agreement” that would come within the purview of the existing Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) between the country and the US.

Among other details, he said the framework agreement would specify “what they can do and cannot do, where the activities would be held and for how long, and what equipment would be brought in.”

He said the arrangements would be so designed that they would be VFA-compliant and would not require the concurrence of the Senate.

Noting that some of Sorreta’s statements already delved on sensitive matters involving national security without the presiding vice chairman, Northern Samar Rep. Emil Ong stopping him, with some committee members suggesting that they hold an executive session, where the public and the media are barred.

They said further disclosures in an open, public hearing might compromise the country’s security interests.

At this point, DFA Undersecretary Rafael Seguis said Secretary Albert del Rosario could brief the committee on details of the planned increased US troops’ rotational presence.

Bayan Muna Rep. Neri Colmenares asked if the Philippines, under its Mutual Defense Treaty (MDT) with the US, is obligated to help the US in case Syria attacks its interests outside the American mainland in retaliation for its expected intervention in the Syrian internal conflict.

Sorreta said the MDT calls for mutual help if either of the signatory countries or their interests in the interests in the Pacific area were attacked.

Colmenares pressed the DFA official for a “yes” or “no” answer.

Sorreta refused, saying the situation presented by the law was “hypothetical.”

Ong intervened, saying, “Maybe you should answer yes.”

Sorreta said under the MDT and the United Nations Charter, which is cited in the treaty, “an act of aggression (on the part of the parties) is not covered.”

“What is covered is an act of self-defense,” he said.