Gov’t told to boost defense capabilities, alliances amid ‘dangerous’ times

By Adrian H. Halili, Reporter

A SENATOR on Wednesday called on the government to bolster its defense capabilities and alliances, amid heightened uncertainty following the US’ attack on Venezuela and Beijing’s growing aggression in the South China Sea.

“These are very dangerous and volatile times, we have to be agile and open to discussion with all our defense partners as well as our allies and neighbors in Asia,” Senator Maria Imelda “Imee” R. Marcos, who heads the Senate Foreign Affairs panel, told a news briefing.

The senator’s remarks followed the US Special Forces’ overnight attack on Venezuela, one of the world’s largest oil reserves, resulting in the capture of its President Nicolas Maduro and his wife. Critics have warned that Washington’s attack on the South American country could embolden China to aggressively enforce its territorial claims over parts of the South China Sea and Taiwan.

“I think we have to broaden and expand our foreign policy notions to include what has occurred,” she added.

She said that the Philippines must continue its defense dialogues with other countries and improve its self-reliant defense position.

“We need to realign with our neighbors, diversify our alliances, and begin to think in a practical and tactical level with China, the US and all our significant allies,” Ms. Marcos added.

Manila has been increasingly active in forging defense agreements with foreign countries to push back against Beijing’s aggressive behavior in the vital waterway, which handles an estimated $3 trillion in annual trade. The area has become a flashpoint for potential regional conflict.

“It is a good thing that we have diversified our visiting forces agreements (VFAs) that isn’t just the US, so that we are not isolated like Venezuela,” she added.

It has signed VFAs with Australia, Japan and New Zealand, while similar talks with France and the United Kingdom are ongoing.

Ms. Marcos added the country can take advantage of its upcoming chairship of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and potential seat in the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) to bolster alliances.

“We must exploit these positions to create a new alignment with our neighbors in the Asia Pacific,” Ms. Marcos said. “Let’s not be alone like Venezuela who has become very vulnerable because they are isolated.”

The country has also been lobbying for a position in the UNSC to strengthen its position amid the ongoing South China Sea disputes. Five non-permanent seats are up for grabs during the election by the middle of the year.

The Philippines is also set to host the ASEAN Summit this year, where member states are expected to tackle the completions of a code of conduct on the South China Sea.

Beijing has reportedly heightened its coercive behavior in the disputed waterway, where it claims 80% of its maritime features. This claim was deemed illegal by a United Nations-backed arbitral tribunal in 2016, which Beijing has rejected.

In a statement, the Chinese Embassy in Manila rejected this claim, pushing back on the Philippines calls to uphold “rules-based international order” in the South China Sea.

“The Philippines truly intends to make itself look good and uphold the so-called ‘rules-based international order,’ it should first condemn the hegemonic action of a certain country, which sent its military over 3,000 kilometers away to brazenly use force against a sovereign state and detain its president,” the embassy said.

The Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs did not immediately reply to a Viber message seeking comment. It earlier called for the enforcement of the international law amid the ongoing US-Venezuela conflict.

Chester B. Cabalza, founding president of Manila-based International Development and Security Cooperation said that the Philippines must continue to uphold international laws.

“As the world will go dim due to episodic warring states, the Philippines must maintain its global position for championing the vestiges of the international laws,” he said in a Messenger chat.

Mr. Cabalza added that Manila must also improve military modernization and defense economy, along with widening diplomatic and defense networks with allies and strategic partners from Asia, Americas, Europe and Oceania.

“In these turbulent times, we see the brutalization of international laws where major powers behave differently based on their own national interest to assert their superiority at the expense of the falling rules-based world order,” he added.