US-Philippines ties transcend presidents – Trillanes

MANILA, Philippines — Regardless of who is the leader of both countries, Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV believes the friendship and alliance between the United States and the Philippines will never fade.

“It has deeper roots. And it stood the test of time. That’s why whoever is president, it will pass, but still that relationship would remain,” Trillanes said in an interview aboard the USS Theodore Roosevelt on Friday following the speech by US Ambassador Sung Kim.

Trillanes, one of President Duterte’s critics, said the friendship and alliance remain strong between the Filipino and American people regardless of who their political leaders are.

“Despite the rhetoric of Duterte (against the Americans), the alliance between the Philippines and the United States remains strong, particularly in relation to their freedom of navigation patrols. That’s a big deal,” Trillanes, a former Navy officer told reporters when asked to comment on the visit of another US aircraft carrier in Manila.

The Theodore Roosevelt stayed for a few days in Manila Bay, with a crew of some 5,000 sailors and marines and a fleet of Hornet fighter jets and other military assets. 

In his speech, Kim said the presence of the aircraft carrier “sends a very clear message to everyone in the region, especially to our friends in the Philippines. Because our commitment to the US-Philippines alliance is unbreakable and will remain so indefinitely.”

He added the visit of Theodore Roosevelt to the Philippines is also “a clear sign, clear reflection, clear demonstration of our commitment to the Indo-Pacific region, commitment to the US-Philippines alliance, and also our commitment to promoting and protecting important values, principles and rights like freedom of navigation, freedom of flight, and freedom of commerce.”

Trillanes agreed with Kim, noting that the visit of the aircraft carrier is just one of the activities that could eventually strengthen regional security.

“We have to do our part in strengthening our alliance with our strategic allies like the US, Japan, Australia, South Korea and including the ASEAN. We need to implement EDCA,” Trillanes said, referring to the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement with the US.

He added the modernization of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), particularly the Philippine Navy, should be pursued. Trillanes said US President Donald Trump’s policy in the South China Sea through the successive visit of US carriers in the region is “a subtle message that the US is not abandoning this part of the world (which) is very important to US foreign policy as well.”

Trillanes again criticized Duterte for allegedly confining the issue of asserting sovereignty to the  extreme options of either going to war with China or being a docile trade partner reaping benefits.

“Duterte is just playing on two options, either kowtowing to the Chinese or going to war against them. Those are two extremes, there are other options (in the middle). He is simply justifying the sellout to the Chinese,” Trillanes said.

“We could either pursue legally and diplomatically the arbitration case and strengthening of alliances, conducting naval exercises. Those are subtle approaches. That’s way short of engaging in a war with China,” he stressed.