Philippines will not be a military base, says President Marcos

MANILA: President Ferdinand Marcos said his government would not allow the Philippines to become a “transit point” for military operations, ahead of a meeting with President Joe Biden on Monday (May 1).

Manila has recently seen Washington build more Philippine military bases as its allies seek to counter growing Chinese claims in the region and to counter China’s broader claims over disputed waters, islands and shoals. allowed access to.

“I do not encourage provocative actions by other countries that involve the Philippines,” Marcos told reporters on a plane to Washington on Sunday.

“We will not allow the Philippines to be used as a transit base for military operations of any kind,” he said.

Marcos’ visit came after the United States called on China to stop its “provocative and dangerous actions” in the South China Sea, where it nearly collided with a Philippine Coast Guard ship.

“We call on Beijing to end its provocative and dangerous actions,” US State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said on Saturday, adding that any attack on Philippine forces would trigger a US response. Manila and Washington are bound by the 1951 Mutual Defense Pact.

Marcos said on the plane that the April 23 incident was “a near-crash that could cause casualties on both sides,” according to a statement from the Philippine president’s office.

“That’s exactly what we want to avoid.”