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MANILA, Philippines — Demonstrating anew a united stand in upholding a free and open Indo-Pacific region, naval and air force assets from the United States, Japan, Australia and the Philippines sailed the waters of the West Philippine Sea (WPS) together yesterday.
Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) chief Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr. announced the conduct of the 6th Multilateral Maritime Cooperative Activity (MMCA), this year’s first under the new Trump administration.
Warships and air assets from the four participating nations carried out drills and interoperability exercises just a day after the Philippine Air Force and the US Pacific Air Forces also held a joint air patrol and air intercept training event in the area near the Panatag (Scarborough) Shoal or Bajo de Masinloc utilizing two B-1 bombers and three FA-50 fighter jets on Tuesday.
The 6th MMCA was conducted less than three weeks after the Philippines and the US carried out joint maritime exercises in the South China Sea on Jan. 17 and 18 participated in by the Carl Vinson carrier strike group, two guided missile destroyers, two helicopters and two F-18 Hornet aircraft on the US side and the BRP Antonio Luna frigate, BRP Andres Bonifacio patrol ship, two FA-50 fighter jets and search and rescue assets of the PAF on the part of the Philippines.
Brawner said this latest combined military exercise demonstrates “a collective commitment to strengthen regional and international cooperation in support of a free and open Indo-Pacific.”
He said the naval and air force units of participating nations operated together to enhance cooperation and interoperability among the armed forces.
With China expected to again react negatively to the military drills despite the AFP’s repeated declarations that the MMCAs are not directed at any particular country, Brawner gave assurance that the exercises are being conducted “in a manner consistent with international law and with due regard for the safety of navigation and the rights and interests of other states.”
“This underscores our shared commitments to upholding the right to freedom of navigation and overflight, other lawful uses of the sea and international airspace, as well as respect for maritime rights under international law, as reflected in the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea,” he said.
AFP public affairs office chief Col. Xerxes Trinidad said at least four warships from the four participating countries joined the MMCA.
According to him, there were several Chinese vessels “monitored from afar” during the exercises but there was no interference.
“So far everything is very smooth,” Trinidad, who was aboard one of the participating vessels, told reporters.
No change in defense pact
Meanwhile Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. expressed optimism that the defense agreements between the Philippines and the United States will not change even as the US State Department ordered an immediate stop to the flow of almost all US foreign assistance pending a review.
Teodoro said he would speak soon with his US counterpart, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.
“I think it is just a review of the incoming administration insofar as defense is concerned, I’m not worried at all,” Teodoro said when asked about the US pausing foreign aid at the Waitangi Day Reception of the New Zealand embassy on Tuesday.
“I will have a conversation with Secretary Hegseth in the coming days, so we’ll see, but I’m very optimistic that the trajectory of existing agreements will not change,” he said.
The defense chief is confident that there is also no change in US commitment and support to the Philippines.
US National Security Adviser Michael Waltz assured Teodoro in a meeting at the White House last month that the US commitment to the Philippines remains the same and reaffirmed the enduring alliance between the Philippines and the US.
“In our conversation, Mr. Waltz emphasized that the commitment remains the same, and we discussed enhancing existing partnerships,” Teodoro added.
PCG deployment
The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) is deploying one of its major ships in the southern Philippines to increase its monitoring on the maritime domain frequented by foreign vessels, an official said following the spotting of three Chinese warships last Monday passing the Basilan Strait.
Commodore Marco Antonio Gines, commander of Coast Guard District Southwestern Mindanao and Bangsamoro Region Coast Guard District, said the PCG headquarters is sending BRP Tubbataha that is expected to arrive Friday in Zamboanga City.
Gines said the deployment of the 44-meter vessel will complement a similar coast guard major or capital ship guarding the maritime domain in southern Philippines.
According to Gines, they intend to deploy one of its ships down south in Tawi-Tawi, particularly in Sibutu Strait which is an international sea lane, while the other will be concentrated in the northern part of Zamboanga peninsula.
“What we can guarantee is that we are able to secure our maritime domain and the Filipino people,” he said, adding that the Chinese warships that traversed the Basilan Strait last Monday were closely monitored and did not commit any violation while crossing Moro Gulf to Celebes Sea.
In another development, Subic Bay Freeport is set to be the staging area for the United States Marine Corps humanitarian aid and disaster relief after opening a warehouse facility at the Naval Supply Depot here on Tuesday.
US Marine Corps Col. Luke Watson and officials from the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority led the ribbon-cutting ceremony of the warehouse that will be used by the US Marine Corps for storage.
Watson, commanding officer of Blount Island Command, said the site will enable them to preposition equipment for humanitarian aid and disaster relief that will be utilized for its Indo-Pacific region operations.
“This is part of the Marine Corps’ global prepositioning network, there will be no ammunition, just motor transportation, communication and engineering,” he explained.
Philippines playing with fire
Assistant Minority Leader and Gabriela Women’s Party Rep. Arlene Brosas strongly condemned yesterday the ongoing US-Philippines joint air patrol exercises in the West Philippine Sea, warning that such provocative military actions could escalate tensions and put Filipino people at risk.
“These joint military exercises are nothing but a dangerous display of US military aggression that uses the Philippines as a staging ground for its hegemonic interests in the Asia-Pacific region,” Brosas said in a statement.
“Our country cannot be made a US military outpost and place our fellow Filipinos in danger,” she added.
Brosas emphasized that the ramped-up US military presence through the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) and Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA) serves primarily US geopolitical interests while making the Philippines a potential target for conflict.
“The Marcos Jr. administration is playing with fire by allowing these provocative military exercises. The Filipino women and the Filipino people will be the ones to suffer amid this military tension,” Brosas said.
“We must pursue an independent foreign policy that upholds our sovereignty and addresses territorial disputes through diplomatic channels,” Brosas added.
The Gabriela Women’s Party calls for the immediate junking of VFA and EDCA, closure of US military bases and cessation of joint military exercises that only serve to heighten regional tensions.
“We demand genuine independence from US military intervention. The Filipino people need economic development and social services, not warmongering that puts our nation at risk. Diplomatic solutions, not military aggression, should be the way forward,” Brosas said. – Pia Lee-Brago, Jose Rodel Clapano, Roel Pareño, Ric Sapnu
