‘Maiipit tayo sa gitna’: Senators push review of PH-US Mutual Defense Treaty amid Taiwan tensions

Metro Manila, Philippines - The Senate Committee on Foreign Relations raised alarm over the Philippines’ potential entanglement in a possible conflict in the Taiwan Strait, with lawmakers urging a comprehensive review of the 1951 Mutual Defense Treaty (MDT) with the United States.

Committee chair Senator Imee Marcos said the treaty’s Cold War-era provisions could compel Manila to support Washington in case of armed confrontation with China — even if it directly contradicts the Philippines’ long-standing One China policy.

“Maiipit tayo sa gitna niyan (We will be caught in the middle),” Marcos warned during the hearing. “On one hand, we have the MDT, and on the other, we have the One China policy. Are we to understand that they are in direct opposition to each other? How do we act?”

Marcos noted that the MDT obliges the Philippines to aid the US should its forces, vessels, or aircraft be attacked anywhere in the Pacific. “It’s undeniable that because of our geography, we will somehow be dragged into the conflict,” she said, pointing out that Taiwan is closer to northern Luzon than Manila.

Foreign Affairs Secretary Ma. Theresa Lazaro, who represented the executive branch, clarified that invoking the MDT is “not automatic” and would still require processes and consultations between Manila and Washington.

However, she admitted that only defense officials and military experts could categorically explain how the treaty would apply in the event of a Taiwan crisis.

“We really need someone from the Department of National Defense at this juncture,” Lazaro said, stressing that the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA) was designed primarily for humanitarian assistance and disaster relief (HADR), not as staging points for military operations.

But senators remained unconvinced. Marcos and other panel members pressed for clarity on whether US forces could use EDCA sites in the Philippines as forward operating bases in the event of a Taiwan contingency, echoing past controversies over Clark and Subic bases during the Vietnam War.

Senator Erwin Tulfo, committee vice chair, grew frustrated over the absence of Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro Jr. and other DND officials despite formal invitations. He moved to issue subpoenas to compel their attendance in future hearings.

“We deserve to know. How can we proceed? The [DFA] Secretary is having a hard time trying to answer these questions because it is not in her territory,” Tulfo said. “Only the Defense Department and the Armed Forces of the Philippines can answer all these questions.”

The panel approved Tulfo’s motion, which will be transmitted to Senate President Francis “Chiz” Escudero for issuance of the necessary subpoenas.

Marcos reiterated that the MDT must be revisited to address modern realities.

“This is clearly Cold War language. With the escalating tensions in the Taiwan Strait, we can hardly be blamed for being alarmed,” she said.

The Senate panel is expected to call for further hearings with the DND, AFP, and US representatives to determine whether the MDT and EDCA remain consistent with Philippine national interest in light of rising geopolitical tensions in East Asia.