Lorenzana asks countries to be more cautious when passing through PHL waters

Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana has urged the United States and other countries to me more careful when passing through Philippine territorial waters, saying the Philippines may have to get "involved" when a collision involving the US results in a shooting war.

"I hope all ships there will not get close to each other to avoid miscalculation," Lorenzana said in an interview at Camp Aguinaldo on Monday.

"If there will be miscalculation, we might be involved. If America figures in a shooting war, we may be involved because of our alliance, MDT (Mutual Defense Treaty). It may involve us automatically, thats what I was talking about," he added.

Lorenzana made the pronouncement three days after a near collision between US and Russian warships in the East China  Sea -- Philippine Sea, according to the US.

Russia's Pacific Fleet said that the USS Chancellorsville, a guided-missile cruiser, had come within just 50 meters (165 feet) of the Russian destroyer Admiral Vinogradov which had been forced to take emergency action to avoid a collision, Russian news agencies reported.

That version of events was rejected by the US Navy, which said the behavior of the Russian ship had been "unsafe and unprofessional".

"While operating in the Philippine Sea, a Russian Destroyer...made an unsafe maneuver against USS Chancellorsville," US Seventh Fleet spokesman Commander Clayton Doss said.

Article IV of the MT states that: “Each Party recognizes that an armed attack in the Pacific area on either of the Parties would be dangerous to its own peace and safety and declares that it would act to meet the common dangers in accordance with its constitutional processes.”

In response to “changing realties” and threats nearly seven decades since the MDT was signed, Manila has sought a review of the accord.

Philippine officials have long wanted to clarify if the US, its long-time treaty ally, will help defend the Philippines in case its forces come under attack in the disputed South China Sea.

Lorenzana said defense officials from the Philippines and the US are set to tackle the proposed review of the MDT in Manila in July.

"The (upcoming) meeting is not purely for MDT but its actually a bilateral strategic dialogue which we conduct annually... Since our people will be there, we could discuss it (MDT) in the sidelines," said Lorenzana.

"Let's see what happens. Maybe we'll come out with a proposal and they'll probably have a proposal," he added. — MDM, GMA News