Can Manila count on US in Spratlys row?

Some senators on Monday continued to express doubts that the United States would come to the aid of the Philippines if the verbal row with China over the disputed Spratly Islands escalated.

Sen. Francis Pangilinan said: “Whether or not America sides with us is immaterial at this point. Besides, imploring US providence in the past didn’t bring us into the proverbial promise land.”

Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile, for his part, said President Aquino could invoke the PH-US Mutual Defense Treaty (MDT) if the country were attacked by another country.

“Any attack against the forces of either the US or the Philippines in the treaty area will mean an attack against the parties of the (MDT),” Enrile told reporters.

But asked whether the Philippines could count on the US to fulfill its obligations in the treaty, he said: “Oh well that is another issue. Can we count on them? I do not know. We better ask them, can we count on you? I don’t know.”

Malacañang has maintained that the Philippines could invoke the MDT as a mechanism against any attack by a foreign country.

How dumb can we get?

Under the MDT, signed in Washington on Aug. 13, 1951, both countries declared their “sense of duty and common determination to defend themselves against external armed attack.”

After warning Manila against taking unilateral actions on Spratlys, Chinese Ambassador Liu Jianchao called on claimant-countries to stop exploring the idea of exploiting resources in the area claimed by China.

Sen. Joker Arroyo wondered why Malacañang was interpreting the US stand on the MDT in relation to the Spratlys dispute.

“Regardless of what they say, America will stick to its position. Meaning they will not interfere in territorial disputes,” Arroyo said in an interview.

He also wondered why Malacañang was arguing with US Embassy spokesperson on the issue. “We belittle ourselves arguing with them. How dumb can we get?”

Enrile said the Philippines could invoke the MDT if the Pacific Area from Asia to the US mainland were attacked since this was covered by the treaty.

No automatic retaliation

Enrile agreed with Arroyo, however, that the treaty did not provide automatic retaliation by the United States against the attacking or invading country.

An attack on any portion of the Spratlys is a different matter. In this case, the Philippines could invoke the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea for violation of the country’s exclusive economic zone, Enrile said.

Enrile said Malacañang should study the MDT before invoking it.

“You can review it if the other party wants to review it. You cannot just say, ‘Oh let’s review it.’ You’re dealing with a sovereign country and then second, you can terminate it by giving them a notice of one year. If you want to terminate it but I won’t advocate a termination of the MDT given our present condition,” he said.

Since there is no shooting war yet, Pangilinan said the Philippines could take care of itself.

“Our chances of winning in a shooting war may be bleak but we will definitely not allow anyone to defeat us in a word war,” he said in a text message.