Manalo: Better to clarify implementing rules of MDT with US than revisiting entire treaty

It is better to clarify the implementing rules of the Mutual Defense Treaty (MDT) with the United States than to revisit the entire agreement, Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo said on Friday.

During the Senate finance committee hearing on the Department of Foreign Affairs' (DFA) proposed P20.304 billion budget for 2023, Manalo disclosed that there are ongoing clarificatory talks with the US to discuss how it will come into the Philippines' defense in case of attacks.

"Ngayon, inumpisahan namin 'yung clarificatory talks which are going on kung paano iimplement 'yung MDT at nangyayari po 'yan, nag-umpisa na 'yan two years ago nung previous administration nung di ba may pronouncement si [former President Rodrigo] Duterte," he said.

(We have already started the clarificatory talks on how the MDT will be implemented, it is ongoing for two years since then President Duterte made a pronouncement.)

"While overall sa strategic level they will defend us, gusto rin namin malaman more on the tactical level kung paano nila gagawin (we wanted to know how they will do it on the tactical level)," he added.

The DFA chief made the statement after Senator Robin Padilla asked how the government would explain to ordinary Filipinos the MDT and the Visiting Forces Agreement.

"Kasi po marami sa ating kababayan ang pagkakaintindi po nila dito sa VFA ay taliwas po sa Mutual Defense Treaty ng Pilipinas at ng Amerika sapagkat ang nakikita po ng ating mga kababayan pag nandidito po ang mga Amerikano, ang kanilang iniisip nandidito sila para tayo'y ipagtanggol lalong lalo na po ngayon sa nangyayaring sigalot sa Taiwan at China," Padilla said.

(Many of our fellow citizens have a different understanding of the MDT between the Philippines and US because they think that the Americans are here to defend us especially there is a tension between Taiwan and China.)

Responding to this, Manalo said under the MDT, the US is committed to defend the Philippines should there be an attack.

"Any attack on the Philippines would also be considered as an attack on the United States at ilang beses nilang sinabi na ipagtatanggol tayo kung sakaling may atake (and they said many times that they will defend us should there be an attack)," he  said.

However, Padilla said there was a provision in the MDT that the assistance to the Philippines still needs to be approved first by the US Congress.

"Doon sa defense treaty dadaan pa tayo sa Kongreso magbobotohan pa sila. Eh baka po bago sila pumayag... nabura na po tayo sa mapa. E siguro kailangan po maging malinaw ang ating pagpapaliwanag sa ating mga kababayan para 'wag po tayong nagiging masyadong matapang kasi alam ninyo po para po tayong langaw na nakapatong sa kalabaw," he said.

(It is stated in the defense treaty that there should be a voting in the US Congress. What if before they agree we have already been wiped off the map. Maybe we should be clear in explaining this to our fellow Filipinos so that we will not be too aggressive.)

Manalo said these provisions are part of the clarificatory talks with the US on the MDT.

"[The clarificatory talks are being conducted] para malaman natin exactly paano nila maiimplement 'yung mga—like ano ang ibig sabihin ng consent of Congress, anong ibig sabihin non. So 'yun ang nangyayari ngayon," he said.

(The clarificatory talks are being conducted to determine how they would exactly implement this, what is the meaning of consent of Congress.)

"I think magandang nangyayari, at least, ngayon dahil may clarificatory talks, we are able to raise itong mga issues with the US and tingnan natin kung anong response nila.  Kasi this was the alternative instead of renegotiating the entire MDT. We might as well keep the MDT pero kailangan ['yung] mga implementing rules of the agreement," he added.

(With the clarificatory talks, we are able to raise these issues with the US and we will see what their response would be. This was the alternative instead of renegotiating the entire MDT. We might as well keep the MDT but need the implementing rules of the agreement.)

During President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos meeting with US President Joe Biden last week, Malacanang said the US recognized the Philippines as "treaty partner" and among those treaties is the MDT.—AOL, GMA News