Alleged surveillance by US spy plane at resupply mission ''well within the Mutual Defense Treaty'': NSC official
The alleged surveillance conducted by an American spy plane during the recent successful resupply mission at the Ayungin Shoal is "well within the Mutual Defense Treaty" between the US and Philippines, a national security council official said.
As he confirmed that the presence of the P8 Poseidon of the US Navy was coordinated with the Department of National Defense, National Security Council Assistant Director General and National Task Force - West Philippine Sea spokesman Jonathan Malaya said the government "sees nothing wrong" about the presence of the US surveillance plane.
"What the Americans did was to do surveillance and I think that is well within the Mutual Defense Treaty of the Philippines and the United States. Remember that any armed attack on a public vessel of the Philippines can be a ground to invoke the Mutual Defense Treaty," he said.
"I think the Americans were just doing due diligence. They wanted to know what was happening so that in case there is an armed attack they know exactly what happened so we see nothing wrong. They were just monitoring the situation in accordance with the terms of the Mutual Defense Treaty," he added.
Malaya also expressed belief that the US is expected to continue to use its spy plane to monitor the resupply missions to Ayungin Shoal.
"I would think so and may I just also say that it's not just the United States that's monitoring what's happening in the Ayungin Shoal. Many countries are also monitoring the incidents in Ayungin Shoal. Many countries have satellites that pass through the West Philippine Sea and as I said the exclusive economic zone of the Philippines is subject to freedom of navigation and freedom of overflight so many countries are looking at whats happening," he said.
"I'm sure many countries have interest and are watching intently, our ASEAN partners are also watching developments because the South China Sea and the West Philippine Sea in particular is one of the flashpoints in the world right now... so every country that has a stake in the global order and the rules based international order are curious about what's happening and want to find out really the situation on the ground," he added.
Despite the presence of a US Navy surveillance plane, Malaya explained that the American forces did not help the Philippines in bringing the supply to the troops stationed in BRP Sierra Madre.
"I think what's important and we have to make a distinction is that the US did not help us in the supply. It was not a US Navy that did the resupply. No US Navy ships escorted us and no assistance in the actual resupply was done by the United States.. what the US did was simply to send a navy aircraft to monitor whats happening on the ground," he said.
Malaya added that "the presence of the United States doing surveillance on any part of the West Philippine Sea, in particular the exclusive economic zone, is not illegal and is allowed under international law."
He added that tensions were not heightened because the operation was entirely Filipino.
" The resupply to Ayungin was done by the Philippine Navy ships on support by Philippine Coast Guard ships and there was no American presence there whatsoever. There was no US Navy ship or US Navy supply ship joining us in this resupply mission," he said. Robina Asido/DMS
