MANILA, Philippines — A US Navy warship earlier this week docked in Manila for a routine port visit in continuation of the relationship of the Philippines and the United States as treaty allies.
Independence-variant littoral combat ship USS Charleston (LCS 18) arrived in the Philippines last Monday.
This would be the first time that a commissioned US Navy warship visited the country since 2019.
Vice Adm. Karl Thomas, commander of the US 7th Fleet, said they appreciate the flexibility to resupply their ships in the Philippines.
"Our US Navy ships’ presence at sea and in ports like Manila promote security and stability that drives the peace and prosperity for the benefit of regional countries," Thomas said, as quoted by a US Pacific Fleet report.
The warship is deployed under Destroyer Squadron 7 as a support to Commander, Task Force (CTF) 76/Expeditionary Strike Group 7.
As precautions against COVID-19, Charleston's visit was contactless. Crew members remained aboard the ship while they were provided with replenishment of supplies.
USS Charleston's port call comes weeks after the visit of US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin.
Following a meeting with Austin, President Rodrigo Duterte recalled his order to terminate the decades-old Visiting Forces Agreement, which allows US forces to operate in the country.
“The US security commitment to the Philippines is iron-clad, and that commitment… extends to the South China Sea,” Austin earlier said.
Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana, meanwhile, said he does not know the reason behind Duterte's decision to fully restore the VFA.
“One thing is clear: The Department of Foreign Affairs and the Ambassador to the United States [Jose Romualdez have] been actually working for this to happen,” Lorenzana said.