Spratlys on US admiral’s agenda

PALACE VISITOR President Aquino greets Adm. Samuel J. Locklear III, chief of the US Pacific Command, who visited Malacañang on Monday. Locklear arrived in Manila on Sunday for a three-day visit. LYN RILLON

Admiral Samuel J. Locklear III, the commander of the US Pacific Command, closeted himself with top Philippine defense and military officials on Monday shortly after his arrival in Manila for talks aimed at reaffirming US commitment to upgrade the Philippines’ defense capability amid a territorial dispute with China, Malacañang officials said.

Before the meetings at Camp Aguinaldo, Locklear met with President Benigno Aquino for about 30 to 40 minutes in the morning, according to the officials. Among those in the meeting were Foreign Secretary Albert del Rosario, Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa Jr., US Ambassador Harry K. Thomas Jr. and Philippine defense and military officials.

Presidential spokesperson Edwin Lacierda described the meeting as a “courtesy call” and that a “more in-depth discussion” with Del Rosario was scheduled in the course of Locklear’s three-day visit to Manila.

He said that aside from reaffirming a “long-standing relationship” there was also a reaffirmation of the US commitment to help the Philippines achieve a “minimum credible defense position.”

Locklear arrived at Camp Aguinaldo at 3:25 p.m., almost half an hour behind schedule. He was met by General Jessie Dellosa,  chief of staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines. After arrival honors,  Locklear’s party and top AFP officials met in private at the military headquarters.

Dellosa later took Locklear to another meeting with top defense officials at the nearby Department of National Defense (DND) headquarters.

Colonel Arnulfo Burgos said the incidents in Panatag (Scarborough) Shoal and in Hasa-Hasa (Half Moon) Shoal were expected to be tackled in the discussion as these were “among the security issues that have bearing on regional security and stability.”

The AFP spokesperson however said that the timing of Locklear’s visit was not connected with the embarrassing departure on Sunday of a Chinese warship that was stranded for four days on Hasa-Hasa Shoal while on “routine patrol.”

“Admiral Locklear’s visit is a continuation of the series of engagements started by the chief of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff (General Martin Dempsey). This will further promote peace and stability in the Pacific region,” Burgos said.

He said the talks would cover “West Philippine Sea security … (and) include efforts on counterterrorism, bilateral training, the Pacific Partnership that further enhance defense ties and partnership with the US armed forces.”

In a brief statement, DND spokesperson Peter Galvez said the discussion covered “deepening of cooperation, assistance and support activities in maritime domain awareness, information sharing, capability upgrading and humanitarian assistance and disaster relief, among others.”

Communications Secretary Ricky Carandang downplayed the China issue in the Palace talks, saying that an upgrade in the Philippines’ military capability “would have happened independently of whether or not we had this incident with China.”

“This minimum credible defense has to do with us building up our defenses to the level where people will have second thoughts about incursions or aggression against us,” he said.

Asked whether China was mentioned, Carandang said that this was only in the context of the minimum credible defense posture that the United States had committed to help build. “We didn’t talk about specific issues that have been happening lately, it’s more broad strokes.”