Russia’s war on Ukraine: envoy says Philippines to back US if conflict spills into Asia

Ambassador Jose Manuel Romualdez said President Duterte is ready to open the country’s facilities to American forces if the US gets involved in the fighting

Under a mutual defence pact, Washington and Manila are committed to come to the aid of the other in case of an attack

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Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte (left) has nurtured closer ties with Russian leader Vladimir Putin. File photo: AFP

Published: 2:40pm, 10 Mar 2022Updated: 2:52pm, 10 Mar 2022

The Philippine president is ready to open the country’s “facilities” to American forces under a 1951 mutual defence treaty if Russia’s war against Ukraine turns for the worse and embroils the United States in the fighting, Manila’s ambassador to Washington said on Thursday.

Ambassador Jose Manuel Romualdez said President Rodrigo Duterte made the remarks in a recent meeting in Manila where he also expressed concern over the global economic impact of the unfolding crisis.

The Philippines has condemned the invasion and voted yes on a UN General Assembly resolution that demanded an immediate halt to Moscow’s attack and the withdrawal of all Russian troops from Ukraine.

Duterte, whose stormy six-year term ends in June, has nurtured closer ties with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese leader Xi Jinping while often criticising US security policies in the first years of his presidency. But Romualdez said Duterte told him that that the Russian invasion was wrong.

“He says if they’re asking for the support of the Philippines, it’s very clear that, of course, if push comes to shove, the Philippines will be ready to be part of the effort, especially if this Ukrainian crisis spills over to the Asian region,” Romualdez said in an online briefing with Manila-based journalists.

“Give them the assurance that if ever needed, the Philippines is ready to offer whatever facilities or whatever things that the United States will need being a major – our number one ally.”