Why is the Philippines cold to the United States’ love of war games in the South China Sea? Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana counted the reasons why. 

The Philippines withdrew from the naval drills with the US because the depth, the breadth and the height of the US military’s weapon system is something that the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) could not reach. 

And it may only made Filipino soldiers see that they are left out, question their being in the military exercises, and might affect the feeling of military’s ideal grace.

In fact, Lorenzana said in an interview over ABS CBN News Channel that while the Philippine Navy has warships that include two modern, newly-procured ones, they all have insufficient armaments.

The Philippines withdrew from the naval drills with the US so as not to offend China, which critics said, seeks Filipino officials to be quiet instead of striving for what is right by asserting the UN Tribunal’s decision that rejects China’s claim over the South China Sea.

And for Lorenzana, what is right is not to exacerbate the situation in the South China Sea: “Our relationship with China has always been, since President Duterte became president, cordial and friendly and we don’t want to muddle the issue there.”

The Philippines withdrew from the naval drills with the US amid opinion that it will continuously strengthen the ties with other allies because for Lorenzana, there is nothing more to strengthen since the relationship between the Philippines and its allies have always been strong.

And amid perception that the Philippines has already lost US and other countries due to the country’s perceived change of policy towards China, Lorenzana said he would choose to keep China and as many countries in the Philippine’s friend list.

“They (China) are close neighbor and we have a lot of interactions with them, especially trade,” said Lorenzana. 

And even without the war games, Lorenzana said the United States has been doing its role of keeping the South China Sea open for free navigation, what with the recent activities of two US carrier groups which made a freedom of navigation in the South China Sea recently.