Palace: No need to seek reassurance from US on protection from attacks

From the Philippine News Agency (Feb 9): Palace: No need to seek reassurance from US on protection from attacks

Malacañang on Sunday said it sees no need for the Philippine government to seek a reassurance from the United States that it will help defend Philippine territories that come under foreign attack.

Presidential Communications Operations Office Secretary Herminio “Sonny” Coloma Jr. said US Secretary of State John Kerry already assured the Philippines of continued cooperation and coordination with the US on various issues.

"Mula po sa ating perspektibo, ang Estados Unidos ay isa sa dalawa nating istratehikong kaugnay (one of two strategic partners)—the other is Japan—at patuloy naman po ang ating pananalig na sa oras ng pangangailangan ay paninindigan ng Estados Unidos ang mga commitment nito sa ating bansa na naaayon sa mga existing agreement na umiiral sa pagitan ng Pilipinas at Estados Unidos (From our perspective, the US is one of our strategic partners, the other being Japan. And we believe the US will honor its commitments to us, based on the existing agreements between the Philippines and the US)," he said on state-run dzRB Radyo ng Bayan.

Coloma was replying to a question on whether the Philippines should ask the US for an assurance that it would defend Philippine territories, in the same way the US assured it would defend Japan against attacks over islands claimed by China.

Like Japan, the Philippines has a territorial dispute with China over some parts of the West Philippine Sea (South China Sea).

The Philippines has pushed for a rules-based approach to settling the territorial dispute in the area.

"Noon pong nandito si Secretary Kerry, ang kanya pong ipinahiwatig ay ang patuloy na kooperasyon at pakikipag-ugnayan sa pagitan ng Estados Unidos at Pilipinas (When Kerry was here, he already stressed continued cooperation and coordination between the US and the Philippines)," Coloma said.

http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=&sid=&nid=&rid=614261