Philippines
-
PH Navy asking for 3rd warship from US
MANILA, Philippines – The Philippines is pursuing its request for a 3rd Hamilton Class cutter from the United States, Navy chief Vice Admiral Jose Luis Alano told Rappler. “As far as we are now looking at it, there will be a positive action for getting a 3rd Del Pilar frigate as we now call the […]
-
Are U.S. Security Forces a Threat to Philippine Sovereignty? A Call for Principled Statesmanship
Philippine undersecretary of defense Lorenzo Batino said April 11 that negotiators had reached “consensus on key points” of a new deal to allow a greater U.S. rotational military presence in the Philippines. But this raises a dilemma for Philippine lawmakers attempting to define and craft “an independent and nationalistic” foreign policy. At what point should […]
-
NO TREATY, RENT, LIMITS | Party-list solons say impending pact with US worse than bases treaty
MANILA – As negotiators from both the United States and the Philippines wrap up an Agreement on Enhanced Defense Cooperation (AEDC), party-list lawmakers are preparing to question it before the Supreme Court on grounds of constitutionality. “This early, we are already studying the option of questioning the AEDC at the Supreme Court because it is […]
-
Comment: Why Beijing should let international law reign in the South China Sea
The perilous churn in the South China Sea, dubbed “Asia’s Cauldron” by one leading strategic analyst, stems from the overlapping claims of six states – Brunei, China, Malaysia, Philippines, Taiwan and Vietnam – over a body of water vital to global trade, which contains energy resources and abundant fish stock in its vast depths. Negotiations […]
-
US-Philippines deal won’t stop China in disputed sea – analyst
MANILA, Philippines — The new defense cooperation agreement between the Philippines and the United States will not deter China from conducting activities in the West Philippine Sea, an international security analyst said. Rommel Banlaoi, chief of the Center for Intelligence and National Security Studies, said in a phone interview with Philstar.com on Tuesday that China […]
-
Solons support backdoor talks to help resolve PH-China row
Lawmakers are seeing backdoor negotiations as among the “effective” peaceful strategies that could be employed to help resolve the long-standing dispute between Manila and Beijing over the West Philippine Sea. Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr., Deputy Speaker and Isabela Rep. Giorgidi Aggabao and AKO Bicol party-list Rep. Rodel Batocabe said “behind-the-scenes negotiations” could ease the tension […]
-
Tighter Budgets Limit Southeast Asian Plans
China, Indonesia, Militarization, Modernization, Philippines, Singapore, South China Sea Dispute, Taiwan, VietnamTAIPEI — In much of Southeast Asia, budgets are smaller and ambitions more limited compared with neighbors to the north, and many countries are trying to rid themselves of much older equipment. But Singapore and Vietnam are generally better equipped and have more extensive plans. Malaysia: Shifting Plans Tight budgets are forcing Kuala Lumpur to […]
-
US helped PH Navy in Ayungin mission
Ayungin Shoal, BRP Sierra Madre, China, Military Presence, Mutual Defense, Philippines, South China Sea Dispute, USAMANILA, Philippines – The US assisted the Philippine Navy in the tense mission to rotate troops trapped for 5 months in the disputed Ayungin Shoal following China’s “blockade,” Philippine Ambassador to US Jose Cuisia Jr. said Friday, April 11. (READ: China harasses ship before pleading day and Ayungin trip ‘betrays’ PH intent) “I don’t specifically […]
-
China’s maritime space being carved up: official
China is facing serious challenges to its maritime rights, with its resources being plundered and seas carved up, a senior oceanic official said Friday. Some islands have been encroached on and the security of strategic thoroughfares is threatened. Various conflicts have occurred in China’s waters, said Liu Cigui, director of the State Oceanic Administration (SOA), […]