US troops on standby for other WPS areas? 'Under consideration,' says PH envoy

The Philippines is considering the possible putting of American troops on standby mode in other areas in the West Philippine Sea following the creation of a task force dedicated to Ayungin Shoal, its ambassador to the US said Friday. 

“Still under consideration by DND (Department of National Defense),” Ambassador Jose Manuel “Babe” Romualdez told GMA News Online when asked if US troops will be on standby in other areas in the resource-rich region. 

US Task Force Ayungin, whose existence was bared by US Defense Secretary Lloyd J. Austin III recently, was created as part of Washington’s support for Philippine forces in the country's maritime zones. 

The American troops, however, will not directly participate in the conduct of actual missions in the West Philippine Sea, according to National Security Adviser Eduardo Año. 

Romualdez said the creation of the task force was part of the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) and the Mutual Defense Treaty (MDT) between the Philippines and the US. 

The VFA, which took effect in 1999, allows US troops to train and advise their Filipino counterparts in disaster response and fight against terrorists.

On the other hand, the MDT is a defense pact that unites Washington and Manila and help defend each other from aggression.

The US Defense Press Operations said in an email to GMA News Online that the presence of Task Force Ayungin was the continuation of a decades-long partnership between the Philippines and the US "in support of shared security interests."

Located 105 nautical miles west of Palawan, Ayungin Shoal is within the Philippines' 200-mile exclusive economic zone (EEZ) but is being claimed by China as part of its territory.

READ: EXPLAINER: What is Ayungin Shoal and why is it important?

Since 1999, BRP Sierra Madre, a World War II-era landing ship of the Philippine Navy, has been grounded in Ayungin Shoal and manned by Filipino troops. 

This ship has become a symbol of Philippine sovereignty.

In the past months, however, Chinese forces have been blocking or harassing Philippine resupply missions to Ayungin Shoal, resulting in heightened tensions in the region. —KBK, GMA Integrated News