Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, May 1) — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Monday said he will not allow the Philippines to be used as a “staging post” for any military action amid heightening tensions in the Indo-Pacific region.
He reiterated that the country would continue to “work for peace,” with the chief leader previously allaying fears about the Philippines drawing into the Taiwan-China conflict following efforts to beef up security ties with the United States.
“We’ll not encourage any provocative action by any country” that “will involve the Philippines,” he told reporters as he flew to Washington for his bilateral talks with US President Joe Biden. “We will not allow that to happen.”
“All we are worried about is the peace and the safety of our people, of here and abroad. And that’s the main consideration. So in my view, that’s the role,” he added.
Marcos also said the discussion on the Mutual Defense Treaty is among the purposes of his five-day visit to the US.
The Armed Forces of the Philippines and the US military ended their largest Balikatan exercise last Friday, with AFP Chief of Staff Gen. Andres Centino calling it an “unprecedented success.”
READ: Officials cite ‘unprecedented success’ as 2023 Balikatan ends
Earlier, the Chinese government expressed alarm over the new four sites of the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA) in Luzon, which it said could draw the Philippines into the looming conflict in Taiwan.
The EDCA seeks to bolster the alliance between the US and the Philippines, where they can conduct combined training, exercises, and interoperability in identified locations. The new EDCA sites are located in Cagayan, Isabela, and Palawan.
