Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, April 5) — Former President Rodrigo Duterte gave a warning that Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA) locations in the country could be used as staging sites should conflict erupt between the United States and China.
In a televised interview last month, Dutete stressed that the bases were not in the country’s national interest, but rather only for the benefit of the U.S.
“I will ask now what is, at whose national interest is the additional bases there? It could not be for Taiwan because… Taiwan wala naman hiningi sa atin,” Duterte said in an interview with Pastor Apollo Quiboloy on March 7.
[Translation: I will ask now what is, at whose national interest are the additional bases there? It could not be for Taiwan because… Taiwan is not asking for anything from us.]
The US has previously said it would defend Taiwan against China.
\”So the Americans must have a staging platform from the actual targets there and that is where the base is now, those are actually platforms for America to fight the war against China,\” Duterte said.
During the interview, the former president said his interests were not for anyone else but the Philippines, adding he was not criticizing President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s decision to add more EDCA sites
RELATED: Palace unveils 4 new EDCA sites
However, he also said in case of conflict between China and the US, the Philippines would be caught in the middle.
“Pero ganito iyan, ‘pag maraming base and in case of war na talagang paputok ito ay multiple targets na tayo,” he pointed out. “And you know they do not do it by rockets and mortars. It’s going to be missiles coming in from the South China Sea or wherever from the land base facing from the Philippines.”
[Translation: It’s like this, if there are a lot of bases and in case of war which will erupt, we become multiple targets. And you know they do not do it by rockets and mortars. It’s going to be missiles coming in from the South China Sea or wherever from the land base facing from the Philippines.]
Duterte said while he worked to strengthen the country’s military during his time in office, he recognizes it is not enough to take on other nations.
“Umalis ako ng pagka presidente kumpleto ko yung when I said before I will leave the presidency and I will leave a strong military for the Philippines,” he said. “Binili ko na lahat, ang ating armaments is only good to defend the country. It is not an armed forces that is geared to take other nations to be the aggressor. Hindi natin kaya iyan, atin lang insurgency.”
[Translation: I left the presidency and completed what I said that I would leave a strong military. I bought everything, but our armaments are only good to defend the country. It is not an armed forces that is geared to take other nations to be the aggressor. We can only take on insurgency.]
Having EDCA bases would make the Philippines vulnerable, Duterte said.
Should conflict erupt, he said America should give the Philippines arms equal with China’s or whoever wants to attack the country.
“America is using us as a pawn actually,” Duterte claimed. “Pinupusta nila sa mga bases na yan [They are betting on the bases]. The best that you can do is give us arms that would be equivalent to the arms of the enemy, because China…will become our enemy if you decide to go to war because of Taiwan, so China will bomb us because you are here.”
The Pentagon, meanwhile, said that the US is not seeking permanent bases in the Philippines.
“We’re not seeking permanent basing here, so you’re going to see an increase of rotational forces in the region, but this is more about supporting combined training, being able to respond to natural disasters, humanitarian disasters in the region but this is really about regional readiness,” said Sabrina Singh, deputy Pentagon press secretary.
Philippine Ambassador to the United States Jose Manuel Romualdez also said the new EDCA sites will boost Manila’s push for strategic defense capabilities.
In a statement on Wednesday, the Armed Forces of the Philippines said it supports Marcos’ decision on the new EDCA sites.
