MANILA, Phgilippines- Mulingpinagtibay ng Washington ang Mutual Defense Treaty (MDT) sa pagitan ng Pilipinas at Estados Unidos.
Inulit ni US State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller ang termino ng tratado isang araw matapos na magsagawa ang Tsina ng mapanganib na pagmamaniobra kabilang na ang paggamit ng water cannon, “ramming at towing” laban sa Philippine vessels habang isinagawa ang resupply mission sa BRP Sierra Madre sa Ayungin Shoal.
“The United States stands with its ally, the Philippines, and condemns the escalatory and irresponsible actions by the People’s Republic of China to deny the Philippines from lawfully delivering humanitarian supplies to service members stationed at the BRP Sierra Madre on June 17,” ayon kay Miller.
“PRC vessels’ dangerous and deliberate use of water cannons, ramming, blocking maneuvers, and towing damaged Philippine vessels, endangered the lives of Philippine service members, is reckless, and threatens regional peace and stability,” dagdag na wika ni Miller.
“Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) Undersecretary Maria Theresa Lazaro and US Deputy Secretary of State Kurt Campbell also spoke about the Ayungin incident,” ayon pa sa kalatas mula sa Estados Unidos.
Sinabi naman ng China Coast Guard na nagsagawa ito ng control measures laban sa Philippine replenishment ship na “illegally broke into the sea near Ren’ai Reef in China’s Nansha Islands.”
Samantala, sinabi ni Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. na patuloy na tututulan ng ng Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) ang “dangerous at reckless behavior” ng Tsina sa West Philippine Sea.
“Their behavior contravenes their statements of good faith and decency,” ang sinabi ni Teodoro sa isang kalatas.
Aniya pa, “We will exert our utmost in order to fulfill our sworn mandate to protect our territorial integrity, sovereignty and sovereign rights.”
Tinuran pa nito na ang hakbang ng Tsina ay malinaw na “true obstacles to peace and stability in the South China Sea.” Kris Jose
