FLASHPOINT!

By Rex Anthony Naval

IN the aftermath of the August 5 Ayungin Shoal incident in the West Philippines Sea (WPS) which highlighted Chinese efforts anew to prevent the resupply of a detachment sheltering in the BRP Sierra Madre (LST57), the question that struck the minds of most Filipinos is whether the US, its longtime ally, will commit itself to the Mutual Defense Treaty (MDT) should matters go from bad to worse.

Judging from the statement issued by the US Department of Defense (DOD) following the August 8 telephone conversation between Secretary Lloyd J. Austin III with Department of National Defense (DND) Secretary Gilberto C. Teodoro Jr., it appears that the Americans have the Philippines’ back.

A statement coming from the US DOD had Austin condemning the China Coast Guard (CCG) for blasting its water cannons and other dangerous maneuvers that took place on August 5 that compromised the safety of the Filipino supply boats and crews.

At that time, CCG and Chinese Maritime Militia (CMM) vessels blocked and water-cannoned the Filipino supply boats conducting a regular rotation and resupply mission to Ayungin Shoal.

The blocking and water cannoning incident lasted for over an hour.

A lso, Austin said the CCG’s “unsafe operational activities” strongly undermine “the status quo and directly threaten regional peace and stability.”

In the same phone call, the US defense chief also affirmed that the MDT extends to Philippine public vessels, aircraft and armed forc- es—to include those of its Coast Guard—in the Pacific, including in the South China Sea (SCS).

The MDT between the US and the Philippines was signed on August 30, 1951.

Article IV of the MDT states that “each Party recognizes that an armed attack in the Pacific area on either of the Parties would be dangerous to its own peace and safety and declares that it would act to meet the common dangers in accordance with its constitutional processes.”

The Secretaries reaffirmed their shared commitment to upholding the rules-based order, including supporting the Philippines’ right to conduct lawful maritime activities, consistent with the 2016 Arbitral Tribunal Ruling, which is final and binding on all parties,” last week’s US DOD statement read.

Both defense chiefs also discussed US-Philippines alliance cooperation and affirmed its “ironclad nature.”

A lso tackled were initiatives to “redouble efforts to strengthen bilateral training, interoperability, and support for the modernization of the Philippine Armed Forces,” the US DOD statement added.

Austin and Teodoro also committed to find a near-term opportunity to meet in person and restated their commitment to stand shoulder to shoulder as allies to bring security, prosperity and stability to the Indo-Pacific Region and beyond.

‘Statement of support’

WITH this development, Teodoro lauded the “strong statement of support” coming from Austin regarding the latest Chinese harassment.

“ Welcoming the strong statement of support of the US over a recent incident involving the harassment and disruption of Philippine vessels conducting a resupply mission in the Second Thomas Shoal (Ayungin Shoal), Secretary Teo - doro firmly restated that no country has the right to question the Philippines’ capability build-up to address its immediate and evolving security concerns,” DND spokesman Arsenio “Popong” Andolong, said. Teodoro also commended the United States’ unwavering support in preserving the rules-based international order, the DND spokesman added.

“On defense relations, Secretary Austin reaffirmed the US commitment to provide intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance support. Moving forward, both officials pledged to fast-track pending defense initiatives, such as the conclusion of the General Security of Military Information Agreement (GSOMIA) and the implementation of the Enhanced

Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA) sites. Moreover, Secretary Austin highlighted the importance of GSOMIA for the transfer of technology in support of the modernization program of the AFP (Armed Forces of the Philippines),” Andolong stressed.

Not the first time

THIS is not the first time this year that the US had pledged to stand by the country following encounters between the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) and resupply vessels with CCG and CMM in the WPS.

On February 6, a CCG vessel, with bow number 5205, tried to block the BRP Malapascua (MRRV4403) while the ship was on regular “rotation and resupply” mission in Ayungin Shoal.

Shortly after, the Chinese ship aimed a “green laser,” which the PCG said was of the “military grade” type and caused its bridge crew to suffer from “temporary blindness.”

Shortly after this incident, Austin, following a phone call with then DND officer-in-charge Senior Undersecretary Carlito Galvez Jr., reiterated that any armed attack on Philippine ships and aircraft in the SCS will result in the invocation of the MDT.

“Austin reiterated that the US commitment to the alliance remains ironclad, and that an armed attack on Philippine Armed Forces, aircraft and public vessels, including the Coast Guard, anywhere in the South China Sea, would invoke US mutual defense commitments under Article IV of the MDT,” Andolong said following this first incident.

A nd on July 7 of this year, Austin again expressed the US concern over what it called China’s “coercive and risky operational behavior” in the SCS, including the Ayungin Shoal.

Th is was conveyed again in