Broadening interpretation of MDT does not involve additional EDCA sites: Teodoro
Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro, Jr. said Thursday that broadening the interpretation of the Mutual Defense Treaty (MDT) between the Philippines and the United States does not include constructing additional Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA) sites.
Teodoro said this during a House hearing on the proposed 2025 budget of the Department of National Defense (DND).
The DND is seeking a budget of P256.1 billion from the current outlay of P240.6 billion.
This was in response to a question by Gabriela Partylist Rep. Arlene Brosas asking if there would be provisions in the MDT that would be changed and if there would be additional EDCA sites if the cooperation between the two nations is enhanced.
“No, your honor. This does not entail additional EDCA sites because we are sticking to the nine EDCA facilities, but it entails perhaps interoperable measures to address China’s creative and varied tactics on a defense-to-defense level,” Teodoro said.
“Now, there are other ways that China does what is supposedly, what we know is illegal. Illegally, for example, the use of maritime militias. CCG vessels which are actually naval vessels. So this kind of environment where we cannot work within set parameters. We have to work with our allies and partners to address an evolving threat,” he added.
Teodoro also explained that the DND would review the MDT for a more “dynamic” interpretation to address China’s aggression in the West Philippine Sea.
“Nothing will be changed in the MDT. It’s just that we don’t want to get canalized on an attack of an armed vessel. It’s more for strategic purposes because China used a non-lawful system of aggression which a static interpretation and static processes will not address,” he told House lawmakers.
“So just as the aggressor has variables, millions of variables in its playbook, we also have to re-study. There are no specifics right now, that will depend on the recommendation of the working groups on how to make the Mutual Defense Treaty interpretation more dynamic to address threats that we may not even foresee. For example, cyberthreats and other threats like China, which knows no rules, may employ. So that is the context, your honor, of the agreement. There are no specifics at this time,” he added.
The National Maritime Council on Wednesday renewed its call for the 73-year-old MDT to be reviewed, noting that the treaty was not enough to stand on its own and that the country could not forever depend on its allies for security.
A meeting of the Mutual Defense Board-Security Engagement Board of the Philippines and the United States was held on Thursday in Baguio City.
This comes after China’s recent harassment against Philippine vessels and aircraft in the West Philippine Sea.
When Brosas raised the issue that the Philippines could be dragged into war if it becomes a pawn in the power struggle between the US and China, Teodoro said the government was simply forming a “credible deterrent posture”.
“When it comes to being dragged to war, what is China expecting from us? Of course, we are enhancing our own defenses with the help of other countries. Whether we do this or not, they will continue what they have been doing. Because what China wants is world domination under a new model of international governance which is a guise for their hegemony, ” Teodoro said.
“For our part, we are just establishing our credible deterrent posture,'' he added.
''What we want is our 200-nautical-mile exclusive economic zone and the other areas we own to be exclusively for the benefit of our citizens the way we want to do it. The way the Congress wants to do it, without the pressure of China bear hugging us to deal with them solely. That’s what we want,” he added. Jaspearl Tan/DMS
