By Robina Asido

The National Maritime Council (NMC) revives calls to review the 73-year-old defense pact between the Philippines and the United States following the series of Chinese harassment against the Philippine vessels and aircraft in the West Philippine Sea.

In an interview with Palace reporters on Wednesday, National Maritime Council (NMC) spokesman Undersecretary Alexander Lopez stressed the need to review the Mutual Defense Treaty (MDT) for the benefit of both countries considering the changes in the security challenges in the Philippine waters.

“For me, the Mutual Defense Treaty was signed in 1951. And since then, the strategic landscape has changed so much. So, maybe it’s high time now to maybe review,” he said.

On Thursday, the Philippines and the United States will hold a meeting of the Mutual Defense Board-Security Engagement Board in Baguio City.

It can be recalled that during the previous administration, former Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana also call for a “comprehensive review” of the MDT.

Lorenzana noted that although it has greatly benefitted the country, the treaty is still “not enough” to make it stand on its own noting that the Philippines “cannot be forever relying to other” states for its security.In an interview in Manila on Tuesday, Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. said there are ”ongoing conversations to broaden” the interpretation of the MDT.

“There are ongoing conversations to broaden the scope of the MDT but to broaden interpretations to make it more dynamic and not to fall into China’s trap of canalizing,” he said.

Following the harassments of China against  Philippine vessels and aircraft in the West Philippine Sea, especially in Escoda Shoal, Lopez said the Philippine government has already sent a “statement of serious concern” to the Chinese Embassy.

“We sent a statement of serious concern to the Chinese Embassy here in the Philippines, at the same time we also sent to our embassy in Beijing expressing our serious concern on this event that happened,” he said.

Last Aug. 8, a flare incident against the patrolling Philippine Air Force plane was recorded in the vicinity of Scarborough Shoal while another flare incident happened against a BFAR patrol aircraft in the same area on Aug. 19. Two PCG vessels were also damaged due to the harassment of China Coast Guard near Escoda Shoal on the same day.

On Aug. 22, another flare incident against a Philippine patrol aircraft was monitored in Subi reef followed by the harassment of BFAR vessel near Escoda Shoal in Aug. 25 and China’s interference on the PCG’s resupply mission for BRP Teresa Magbanua on Aug. 26. DMS