Metro Manila, Philippines – The Philippines did not pledge to withdraw a US-supplied long-range missile system in Luzon, National Security Council Assistant Director General Jonathan Malaya said on Friday, Feb. 14.
Malaya said the missile system – which is able to fire multi-purpose missiles up to thousands of kilometers – is part of defense modernization efforts.
“The Philippines never promised the People’s Republic of China that we’ll withdraw the Typhon missile system from the Philippines. We never made any commitment to the PRC in this regard,” Malaya said in a press briefing.
He said President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. made a deal with China to stop its illegal acts in the West Philippine Sea, and the government will remove the system from the country. Beijing has not responded to the president’s challenge.
China earlier criticized the missile system deployment, calling it a dangerous move that would heighten tensions in the region.
A 2016 arbitral ruling invalidated China’s vast claims in the South China Sea, which encroaches into the West Philippine Sea.
China has not acknowledged the decision and continues to deploy vessels in the Philippine exclusive economic zone and harass Filipino fishermen.
