Military ready to defend PH vs China
Apr 22, 2012
WESTERN COMMAND, Palawan—A military official assured on Sunday the readiness of soldiers to defend the country if it is attacked by China over the Scarborough Shoal and any other disputed territory in the Spratly Group of Islands, although he said that he preferred that the dispute be resolved in a peaceful manner through international arbitration.
Speaking during the unveiling of one of the schoolbuildings that was built by Filipino and American soldiers participating in the Balikatan (shoulder-to-shoulder) war games, Armed Forces Western Command commander and Lt. Gen. Juancho Sabban added that the military is ready to defend the people and the country in case it will be attacked by Beijing over the dispute, being its sworn duty.
"If it happens, it's war of determination to defend our independence and sovereignty," Sabban said, adding that they will fight the Chinese even if they will have to use knives and swords.
But, he added, the territorial row with China should be addressed in a peaceful manner, although Filipino soldiers will not also back down if China attacks the Philippines.
Sabban said if the current development "further develops" and the national government orders the military to take a stand, then "as soldiers, we will stand by as what the national leaders say."
He disputed a claim of China that it owns Scarborough Shoal as supposedly shown by its "historical facts." "If they talk about history, we have more of it," Sabban said. "Ever since, Scarborough Shoal is part of the Philippine territory, I don't think they [Beijing] should claim it," he added.
The Western Command commander fended off a warning from China that the ongoing Balikatan military exercises between US and Filipino troops may result in an armed confrontation with the Chinese, saying the war games had been held in the past 28 years. Lt. Gen. Duane Thiessen, commanding general of the US Marine Forces, Pacific, later said America will not stop with its yearly joint interoperability exercises with the country.
"We've done it for the past 28 years, we've done it for a long time and we will do it in many years to come," Thiessen added.
Co-director of this year's military exercises, he said the Balikatan will honor its commitment and obligation with the Philippines under the Mutual Defense Treaty (MDT). "MDT is a very serious treaty that the US takes seriously," Thiessen added.
He doused China's perception that the war games are a part of the US's strategy to remain in the Pacific and even in Southeast Asia, as it had been in the region a long time ago.
"The US has never left the Pacific, we never want to leave the Pacific and we have been in the Pacific for long, long years," Thiessen said.
Sabban said the military exercises partly prepare the Philippine military in reacting to or meeting any threat that comes its way.
The military commander added that the country or even the military has never been bullied by China, saying "we react to whatever threat that comes our way, not only from China"¦ the AFP [Armed Forces of the Philippines] is steadfast in protecting our territory."
Military ready to defend PHL vs China with knives, swords
We may not be fully equipped unlike the chinese but we are prepared to die for our country.
op: 
. Let them declare war on one neighbor and i will stop Bashing CONgress in DFI:accepted:.
