22-03-2024, 10:03 AM
In an interview with Bloomberg, Marcos said the US has been very supportive and has shown that it was taking the agreements with the Philippines seriously, but Manila would not run to Washington "when something goes wrong."
"That's not the way we treat it. We do this for ourselves. We do this because we feel that we have to do it. And it's not at the behest of the United States," he said.
"Since the threat has grown, we must do more to defend our territory. And so maybe... that's what people are seeing, [there is] a more robust defense of our territorial rights as recognized by the international community, through international law, through the Unclos," he said.
"We have not instigated any kind of conflict; we have not instigated any kind of confrontation," the President added.
In the same Bloomberg interview, Marcos again defended his decision to allow a larger American military presence in the country under the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA) between the Philippines and the US.
Since the signing, nine military bases have been identified as EDCA sites, which include sites in Cagayan, Isabela and Palawan that offer greater US access to the West Philippine Sea, Sulu Sea and Taiwan.
https://www.manilatimes.net/2024/03/21/n...ar/1937790
"That's not the way we treat it. We do this for ourselves. We do this because we feel that we have to do it. And it's not at the behest of the United States," he said.
"Since the threat has grown, we must do more to defend our territory. And so maybe... that's what people are seeing, [there is] a more robust defense of our territorial rights as recognized by the international community, through international law, through the Unclos," he said.
"We have not instigated any kind of conflict; we have not instigated any kind of confrontation," the President added.
In the same Bloomberg interview, Marcos again defended his decision to allow a larger American military presence in the country under the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA) between the Philippines and the US.
Since the signing, nine military bases have been identified as EDCA sites, which include sites in Cagayan, Isabela and Palawan that offer greater US access to the West Philippine Sea, Sulu Sea and Taiwan.
https://www.manilatimes.net/2024/03/21/n...ar/1937790