Malacañang: No need to convene NSC on Spratlys row yet

There is still no need for now to convene the National Security Council to address the problem with China over the Spratly Islands, Malacañang said Sunday. Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa Jr. said the Cabinet's security cluster under him is in constant communication on the matter. "Wala pang pinag-uusapan," Ochoa said on the need to convene the NSC to tackle the sensitive issue. "But with the security cluster that we have now under executive order on the clustering system, this representation as the head of security cluster nagco-convene kami and we are in constant communication on these matters." He also maintained the dispute with China over the Spratlys is a "political and diplomatic" issue so the government will resolve it along those lines. Besides, he said the government does not want to trigger anything that will heighten tension on the issue there. "We don't want to encourage anything that will exacerbate the issues there, so everybody should be very, very careful in handling this issue with the Chinese," he said. On the other hand, he said the Philippines still expects the United States to come to its aid because of the RP-US Mutual Defense Treaty. "Let me put it this way. We have a standing Mutual Defense Treaty with the United States. The relevant portion of that treaty is that the US is our ally and we expect na talagang kasama natin sila in any problem that will require their help," he said. For her part, deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte maintained the Philippines can invoke the MDT if needed. "Nabasa natin ang Mutual Defense Treaty, walang naglalagay nag-e-exclude ng regional dispute sa kasunduang yan," she said on government-run dzRB radio. Also, Valte downplayed speculations that the upcoming joint naval exercises between the Philippines and the United States has something to do with the territorial dispute with China. "Wala naman, matagal ito naka-schedule di biglaan i-schedule ang exercise, wala naman kinalaman sa mga paguusap sa disputed areas," she said. — KBK, GMA News