Philippines won't allow entry of nuke-carrying US assets

MANILA, Philippines - The government will assert its authority over the facilities of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and will deny access to United States (US) assets carrying nuclear weapons.

The assurance was made Thursday by the Philippine panel negotiating with the US on the increased rotational presence of American forces in the country.

Panel member Defense Undersecretary Pio Batino said the framework agreement on the increased rotational presence would provide an opportunity to “insist on clearer safeguards” for national concerns.

“There should be full control of Philippine authority over AFP-owned facilities. We will insist that there will be no areas exclusive to the US troops,” Batino said in a press briefing.

Batino was responding to queries about the supposed gaps in the implementation of previous defense agreements with the US.

Sources said there have been instances wherein even AFP generals were not allowed to enter the US Joint Special Operations Task Force-Philippines (JSOTF-P) headquarters in Zamboanga City.

Even journalists based in the province reportedly experienced similar restrictions a few years ago.

Sources said journalists covering a congressional probe on the alleged permanent presence of US troops in the area had been barred from taking video footages of the headquarters. The media men reportedly complained about the incident, prompting the JSOTF-P leadership to apologize.

Sources previously claimed that the US troops operate a powerful communication equipment in Camp Aguinaldo in Quezon City.

Meanwhile, the Philippine panel said the US assets carrying nuclear weapons would not be allowed to enter the country.

Philippine panel head Foreign Affairs Assistant Secretary Carlos Sorreta said mere suspicion that a US asset has nuclear weapons is enough to deny access.

“If we suspect or believe that the ship (that) they (US) ask for permission to enter has nuclear weapon, then we have the right to deny it. We actually don't have to see it (or) actually touch the weapon,” Sorreta said.

He said both panels have agreed to respect the constitutional prohibition against nuclear weapons during the first round of negotiations last Wednesday.

Article II Section 8 of the constitution states that the Philippines, consistent with the national interest, “adopts and pursues a policy of freedom from nuclear weapons in its territory.”

US presents draft proposal

The US panel led by State Department senior negotiator Eric John also presented their proposed text of the framework agreement last Wednesday.

Batino said they already have initial comments on the proposed draft but declined to elaborate.

He said they were able to emphasize the significance of “very important” concerns like Philippine sovereignty, full Philippine control and authority, mutuality of benefits, and non permanence of course of US troops.

“There were provisions there that could be agreed upon by both parties, there were provisions that should be subject of further discussions,” Batino said, adding that the draft is still “a work in progress.”

Officials stressed that the framework agreement would not cover specific details like the number of US troops to be deployed to the country.

“The intention of the framework agreement is to provide general parameters and principles on the further implementation of the Mutual Defense Treaty and the Visiting Forces Agreement,” Batino said.

Both sides agreed that the working title of the agreement would be “Framework Agreement between the Philippines and the United States on Increased Rotational Presence/Enhanced Defense Cooperation.”

The agreement will contain the following provisions: preamble, definitions, scope, agreed installations/AFP facilities, implementing arrangements, prepositioning of defense equipment, supplies and materiel, ownership, security, utilities and communications, protection of environment, procedure, resolution of disputes, entry into force, duration, termination and amendment.

The US will host the second round of negotiations in the second half of the month.

The US and the Philippines have adopted a policy of increased rotational presence amid the growing aggressive actions of China in the West Philippine Sea, which has triggered tensions and concerns in the region.