Like it or not, bad or good, nothing much can be done now but do a 180-day countdown upon receipt of the notice by Washington. What is certain is that the 1951 PH-US Mutual Defense Treaty will now be reduced to a mere paper treaty as far as the US is concerned.
Having said that, there’s no more intelligence information sharing in our fight against domestic and foreign terrorist acts, no more US military aid and financing that accounts for a good 52% of what they extend to the whole Asia-Pacific region.
That may not include other intangible economic benefits and security from external threats in the West Philippine Sea, as well as humanitarian aid in times of disasters, epidemics and other crises.
*****
China wins.
Treaties are only meaningful and worth preserving if both countries and their leaders can commit to the continuous fulfillment of the obligations of the treaty partners. In my opinion, the US-RP MDT needs to be re-examined by both parties. It is a one-sided treaty and has failed to appeal to most Americans. To make it worse, Pres Duterte’s foreign policy postures and overtures are not even consistent with America’s and more importantly, with the current US administration’s view of the security risks in the Western Pacific vis-a-vis China. Pres Duterte and his supporters must carefully examine and understand the security changes that Pres Trump made with its allies in NATO, Saudi Arabia, Japan and South Korea. The burden of defending the country must be borne 100 percent by the Philippines if it truly wants to be treated as a mature and independent nation.
Americas forward defenses in Western Pacific are more robust today than when Subic and Clark were still operational, thanks to modern weaponry and technology. And Pres Duterte is misreading this important fact: the security risks presented by the Chinese PLA and Navy weigh more heavily on the Philippines than it is to America. The US, Australia, Japan, and South Korea will and can maintain freedom of navigation and overflight in the entire South China Sea with or without the US basing some troops and equipments in the country.
Pres Duterte and his political allies here and abroad, must not and should not threaten the United States. He is playing a dangerous game of roullet at the expense of the Filipino people. Sadly, there is no collective voice strong enough to change the course of the current Philippine history that is being written today. More than ever, the Philippines urgently need a new set of leaders that are strategic and faithful to the Republic, its Constitution and the rule of law.
We as filipinos must stand on our own. Like it or not, politics declare our destiny. The government is not for the people as they cannot accept anti political dynasties. . That is why they work abroad and there they shine and reach success. Here ,50 percent of ourhard earned taxmoney goes to the pockets of these political shenanigans.
It is about time our Constitution is amended. It should state that no one person , like the president, can take the country in or
out of a treaty, or all forms of agreements. What is currently happening is WHIMSICAL! But we cannot do anything about it.
It’s done.
Just as I suspected, Pres Trump responded to Pres Duterte’s threat just like how he did with NATO. Pres Duterte and his advisers have completely overplayed their hands. So what is Duterte going to do next? Abrogate the MTD and forge an alliance with China? He could… so I expect Duterte to visit China as soon as the corona virus situation abates. Murphy’s Law is now at play in the Duterte administrattion!