‘US weapons in Philippine send strong message to China’

MANILA, Philippines — The Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA) should be completed since it is important for the country’s defense, a deterrence and sends a strong message to China that the Philippines has the capability to defend the islands in the Spratlys, a retired Supreme Court justice said.

“We don’t have to go to war. If you can convince the other side that you can defend your position, they will not go to war but if you don’t have the capability to defend your position they will invade you and there’s nothing you can do,” former associate justice Antonio Carpio said Tuesday.

The partnership between the Philippines and the United States is Manila’s “only defense” against China, according to Carpio.

He noted that under the EDCA, the US would preposition its weapons and military equipment in Philippine military bases, particularly in Palawan.

The Philippines has given assurance that it would continue to “evolve” its friendship with the US.

“The partnership is important because it’s our only defense against Chinese incursion, encroachment of our exclusive economic zone,” Carpio said in an interview with ANC’s “Headstart.”

“So think for just a moment if today, the US will withdraw from the South China Sea, will not conduct freedom of navigation operations in the South China Sea, then China will just take over the South China Sea and we will lose our exclusive economic zone,” he added.

Only the US Navy and its allies are preventing China from taking over the South China Sea, according to the former magistrate.

He pointed out that without the US Navy conducting freedom of navigation operations in the South China Sea, “we would have folded up a long time ago.”

He underscored the importance for the Philippines and the national interest of the US that continuous freedom of navigation operations is an enforcement of the international law and enforcement of the arbitral award.

“Every time the US Navy and its allies sail in the South China Sea in our exclusive economic zone, there’s freedom of navigation. They are telling the world and China that this is an exclusive economic zone of a coastal state, that we can do this because this is an exclusive economic zone and that it favors us because we are too timid to protect our EEZ,” Carpio said.

“The US is doing that for us and we should, of course, be grateful and, if possible, if we can do it we should join,” he added.

Last Tuesday, US Vice President Kamala Harris flew to Palawan island, the Philippine province on the frontier of disputed waters in the South China Sea.

In her speech on board Philippine Coast Guard ship Teresa Magbanua in Palawan, Harris said the 2016 ruling of an international arbitral court invalidating China’s massive claim in the South China Sea is “legally binding and must be respected.”

Carpio said Harris’ visit to the Philippines is important “in the sense that we are now implementing the (EDCA).” – Sheila Crisostomo