Bayan: Blinken visit is a ploy to hike US military presence in PH

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken—REUTERS

MANILA, Philippines — The Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan) expressed doubts that US Secretary of State Antony Blinken will only focus on talking about the economy during his latest visit to the Philippines.

Bayan believes the ranking US official’s visit is a pretext to further expand the Western superpower’s military presence in the country as the US seeks to advance its geopolitical interests in the region.

Bayan likewise accused President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. of “treasonously” advancing such interest of the US in Asia-Pacific by “shamelessly offering the Philippines as an extension of the US military network.”

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It further expressed suspicion about the United States’ real intentions for intensifying ties with the Philippines while the archipelago faces rising tensions in the West Philippine Sea.

“The country’s assertion of sovereignty in the West Philippine Sea against China’s aggression should not involve the opportunistic meddling of a former colonizer whose real motive is to preserve and expand its imperialist hegemony in the Asia-Pacific,” Bayan said in a statement.

“We never learn from history. Those who posed as friends end up becoming ruthless invaders and colonizers,” it added.

The League of Filipino Students (LSF), meanwhile, asserted that Blinken’s presence in the Philippines might further aggravate the situation in the West Philippine Sea.

“Given the recent tensions in the West Philippine Sea, the US’ stance towards the Philippines provokes China, heightening the conflict in the West Philippine Sea,” it said.

Blinken’s March 18-19 visit in Manila is expected to boost “shared economic priorities” and deepen bilateral cooperation between the US and Philippines, according to the Department of Foreign Affairs.

During his visit, Blinken will also reiterate the US government’s ironclad commitment to its alliance with the Philippines, according to the US Department of State in a statement on March 14.

Currently, the Philippines has three defense treaties with the US: Mutual Defense Partnership, Visiting Forces Agreement, and Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (Edca).

Blinken first visited the Philippines in 2022. A few months after that, the Philippine government approved the access of US military to four more Armed Forces of the Philippines bases under Edca which irked China.