A at an online event to mark the 70th anniversary of the country's Mutual
Defense Treaty (MDT) lorenzana said there was a need to upgrade and update
the alliance and to make clear the extent of american commitments.
"Some questions being asked in Manila are do we still need the MDT should we
amend it?" He told washington center for strategic and international
studies, referring to the 1951 pact.
"What is clear is that we need a comprehensive review of our alliance?" said
Lorenzana in washington for meetings with american officials.
Treaty with japan its world war ii enemy was more explicit than that with
manila when it came to determining whether it applied in the pacific
maritime area, where the philippines has come under increasing pressure from
china over rival territorial claims in the south china sea.
He said this explained why 7 out of 10 filipinos supported President Rodrigo
Duterte's call for engagement with china rather than confrontation and more
than half doubted u.s reliability as an ally in south china sea disputes.
Lorenzana said, "Philippines relations would have to evolve in recognition
of new geopolitical realities, most especially the rise of china."
He said manila and washington should consider revising the MDT and other
defense packs to ensure both could better respond to gray zone threats like
state-sanctioned maritime militia forces that have been intimidating smaller
states.
Manila has repeatedly protested what it calls the illegal and threatening
presence of hundreds of chinese maritime militia vessels inside its
exclusive economic zone.
Lorenzana echoed duterte's complaints about US reluctance to supply the
philippines with state-of-the-art weaponry.
He said manila was in the midst of an unprecedented military modernization
program and needed to move beyond Vietnam war-era hardware that had been
provided by Washington in the past.
"Non-treaty allies have been receiving billion dollar military aid and
advanced weapons systems from the US perhaps, a long-time ally like the
philippines, facing major adversaries in Asia, deserves as much if not more
assistance and commitment," he said.
Lorenzana's remarks came after duterte in july restored a pact governing the
movement of US troops in and out of the country. Something strategically
vital for american efforts to counter china.
Duterte had vowed to terminate the visiting forces agreement after
washington denied a visa to a philippine senator who was an ally of the
president.
For Washington having the ability to rotate in troops is important not only
for the defense of the philippines, but strategically when it comes to
countering china in the region.
In july, US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken repeated a warning to China
that an attack on philippine armed forces in the south china sea would
trigger the mutual defense treaty.
US secretary of state Anthony Blinken repeated a warning to China that an
attack on Philippine armed forces in the south china sea would trigger the
mutual defense treaty. In his statement from Washington DC, lorenzana echoed
duterte's complaints about the u.s reluctance to supply the philippines with
state-of-the-art weaponry.
He said Manila and Washington should consider revising the MDT and other
defense pacs to ensure both could better respond to gray zone threats like
state-sanctioned chinese maritime militia forces that have been intimidating
smaller states.
Previously, Duterte had also blamed the US for failing to enforce an
agreement it mediated between Beijing and Manila regarding the simultaneous
withdrawal of naval forces from the disputed scarborough shoal ,which until
2012 was administered by the philippines.
China took over control of scarborough shoal after the philippines withdrew
from the area, after obtaining a promise from the US. China and the
Philippines were supposed to withdraw their troops from scarborough shoal
but beijing did not honor the agreement and washington did not enforce it.
