https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3216217/us-philippines-defence-cooperation-hits-turbulence-amid-domestic-opposition
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"US-Philippines defence cooperation hits turbulence amid domestic opposition

While the Marcos administration continues to push for closer defence ties with Washington, a domestic coalition has risen up in anger over the president’s plans
Members of the Filipino-Chinese business community, former president Rodrigo Duterte and even Marcos’ sister are collectively resisting a fully fledged alignment with the US against China

Richard Heydarian
Published: 3:30am, 10 Apr, 2023

“Gentlemen, what is our fight with Taiwan? What’s our fight with Taiwan? I don’t understand,” Senator Maria Imelda “Imee” Marcos, chair of the Philippine Senate’s foreign affairs committee, asked during a high-profile hearing last month.

“Why are we doing all the military exercises in Luzon a stone’s throw … away from Taiwan?” she asked during exchanges with top Philippine defence officials serving under her younger brother, President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jnr.

The senator was referring to the government’s recent decision to expand US access to a host of military bases across the Philippines under the Enhanced Defence Cooperation Agreement (EDCA). She complained how the crucial defence pact could be hijacked by the US geopolitical agenda, namely “addressing the escalation of tensions in the Taiwan Strait”.

In response, Philippine Defence Secretary Carlito Galvez Jnr said, “We might change the location depending on the agreement we might be having with the security sector.” Shortly after, the Philippine military announced it would relocate major war games with the United States this year away from Taiwan. It has also refused to grant US requests for access to the northernmost Philippine bases which are close to Taiwan’s shores.
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On Tuesday, April 11, 2023 at 12:30:09 AM UTC+8, ltlee1 wrote:
> https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3216217/us-philippines-defence-cooperation-hits-turbulence-amid-domestic-opposition
> ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
> "US-Philippines defence cooperation hits turbulence amid domestic opposition
>
> While the Marcos administration continues to push for closer defence ties with Washington, a domestic coalition has risen up in anger over the president’s plans
> Members of the Filipino-Chinese business community, former president Rodrigo Duterte and even Marcos’ sister are collectively resisting a fully fledged alignment with the US against China
>
> Richard Heydarian
> Published: 3:30am, 10 Apr, 2023
>
> “Gentlemen, what is our fight with Taiwan? What’s our fight with Taiwan? I don’t understand,” Senator Maria Imelda “Imee” Marcos, chair of the Philippine Senate’s foreign affairs committee, asked during a high-profile hearing last month.
>
> “Why are we doing all the military exercises in Luzon a stone’s throw … away from Taiwan?” she asked during exchanges with top Philippine defence officials serving under her younger brother, President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jnr.
>
> The senator was referring to the government’s recent decision to expand US access to a host of military bases across the Philippines under the Enhanced Defence Cooperation Agreement (EDCA). She complained how the crucial defence pact could be hijacked by the US geopolitical agenda, namely “addressing the escalation of tensions in the Taiwan Strait”.
>
> In response, Philippine Defence Secretary Carlito Galvez Jnr said, “We might change the location depending on the agreement we might be having with the security sector.” Shortly after, the Philippine military announced it would relocate major war games with the United States this year away from Taiwan. It has also refused to grant US requests for access to the northernmost Philippine bases which are close to Taiwan’s shores.
> ...
> ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Is seemed the Defense Secretary did not have the power to decide it, as he said they might change location depending on the agreement they might be having with the security sector. So who is their "security sector" that is so powerful in deciding if he has to wait for whom they want to change or not?

On Tuesday, April 11, 2023 at 2:35:54 PM UTC, stoney wrote:
> On Tuesday, April 11, 2023 at 12:30:09 AM UTC+8, ltlee1 wrote:
> > https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3216217/us-philippines-defence-cooperation-hits-turbulence-amid-domestic-opposition
> > ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
> > "US-Philippines defence cooperation hits turbulence amid domestic opposition
> >
> > While the Marcos administration continues to push for closer defence ties with Washington, a domestic coalition has risen up in anger over the president’s plans
> > Members of the Filipino-Chinese business community, former president Rodrigo Duterte and even Marcos’ sister are collectively resisting a fully fledged alignment with the US against China
> >
> > Richard Heydarian
> > Published: 3:30am, 10 Apr, 2023
> >
> > “Gentlemen, what is our fight with Taiwan? What’s our fight with Taiwan? I don’t understand,” Senator Maria Imelda “Imee” Marcos, chair of the Philippine Senate’s foreign affairs committee, asked during a high-profile hearing last month.
> >
> > “Why are we doing all the military exercises in Luzon a stone’s throw … away from Taiwan?” she asked during exchanges with top Philippine defence officials serving under her younger brother, President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jnr.
> >
> > The senator was referring to the government’s recent decision to expand US access to a host of military bases across the Philippines under the Enhanced Defence Cooperation Agreement (EDCA). She complained how the crucial defence pact could be hijacked by the US geopolitical agenda, namely “addressing the escalation of tensions in the Taiwan Strait”.
> >
> > In response, Philippine Defence Secretary Carlito Galvez Jnr said, “We might change the location depending on the agreement we might be having with the security sector.” Shortly after, the Philippine military announced it would relocate major war games with the United States this year away from Taiwan. It has also refused to grant US requests for access to the northernmost Philippine bases which are close to Taiwan’s shores.
> > ...
> > ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
> Is seemed the Defense Secretary did not have the power to decide it, as he said they might change location depending on the agreement they might be having with the security sector. So who is their "security sector" that is so powerful in deciding if he has to wait for whom they want to change or not?

Officials of Philippine, for sure, don't mind to have more control over the SCS. The issue is how cost and benefit
would match up. The US and China in competition is an opportunity for Philippine to play one against the other.
Hence, the Philippine government could be playing the "good cop; bad cop game" in order to get more benefit
from the US.

At the same time, the US would certainly like to sharpen the conflict between Philippine and China.