AFP OK with planned US refueling depot in Mindanao

MANILA, Philippines — The Armed Forces of the Philippines welcomed the United States military’s reported plan to establish a new refueling depot in Mindanao by 2028.

Philippine Navy spokesman for the West Philippine Sea, Rear Admiral Roy Vincent Trinidad, said such a facility will not be a magnet for attacks but will actually have benefits.

“Any plans for storage of fuel facilities in the country are covered by EDCA – the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement – and the VFA (Visiting Forces Agreement). This will still be Philippine facilities, Philippine controlled facilities,” he explained.

“They are designed to support our response capability for HADR (humanitarian assistance and disaster response), maritime security and support and sustain our forces deployed, not only in the West Philippine Sea, but even in the southern border. We welcome this development,” he said.

Trinidad said details of the Pentagon’s reported plans to put up the refueling depot in Southern Philippines are yet to be finalized but if it pushes through, he gave assurance that the same “will remain Philippine facilities under our control.”

“The presence of these facilities serves as a deterrence. The greater risk is to have no deterrence at all. So, we welcome these facilities,” he said. “The greater risk to our security is the lack of a credible deterrence. These facilities will help allow the AFP to perform and to sustain these operations.”

Sovereignty

AFP chief Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr. reiterated the military’s sustained commitment to protecting and defending the country’s sovereignty and maritime rights amid evolving challenges, including Chinese incursions in the West Philippine Sea.

“From the perspective of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, maritime security is both a national duty and a shared responsibility,” he said at a Maritime Security Symposium in Camp Aguinaldo.

“We remain committed to protecting our sovereignty and securing our maritime interests, consistent with international law and in a manner that contributes to regional stability,” he added.

“We will continue to act with professionalism, discipline and restraint, but equally, we will continue to act with purpose because stability is best preserved when it is actively upheld,” Brawner said.