Manila: President Benigno Aquino's decision to raise the level of security cooperation with the US, is not directed to any particular external threat, the Presidential Spokesman Edwin Lacierda said yesterday.
"We have to update our military training and capability. As we have always maintained, we first acquired the Hamilton Class Cutter for the purpose of maritime protection and also environmental protection," Lacierda said as he referred to a frigate purchased by the Philippine government from the US last year.
According to Lacierda, Aquino's decision to accept more American soldiers, increase ship visits and expand military exercises between the Philippines and the US intends to strengthen the Philippines' defence capability to protect its borders and has nothing to do with addressing external threats.
"Our military hardware is quite not up to date with our neighbours. So it's imperative for us to update our military hardware and that's for purposes of our protection for our country. This is primarily to improve our military training and capacity," he added.
Earlier, there had been insinuations that Manila's ultimate motive in strengthening the defence posture of the Philippines is to confront the ambitions of other countries in the area, particularly China.
China, like the Philippines, is also engaged in strengthening its forces in the South China Sea.
But Lacierda said engaging in an arms race with its neighbours is far from the mind of policy and decision makers in Manila.
He said such measures are only necessary to ensure the Philippine military's capability to protect the country's borders. He added that some Asean-member countries have manifested for a peaceful solution to the disputed West Philippine Sea (South China Sea).
Broaden the scope
Likewise, he also said Manila's decision to broaden the scope of its engagement with the US in terms of strengthening defence and security cooperation is rooted on the US-Philippines Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) and other treaties.
"The parameters would be based on the Visiting Forces Agreement, the Mutual Defence Treaty and also the 1987 Constitution. There are mechanisms involved there. So I think that would be the basis for [the number of] troops [that] will be rotated here in the Philippines for exercises and other related matters," Lacierda said.
During an interview with the AFP recently, Aquino said the Philippines would welcome the entry of more US troops in the country "on a rotational basis but ruled out putting up permanent military bases".
At the same time, he said the Philippines was also asking the US to build up its defence capabilities. In particular, he requested for F-16 fighter jets, patrol vessels, transport aircraft and radar systems.
