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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider US Congress power to declare war not absolute, Imee Marcos says

US Congress power to declare war not absolute, Imee Marcos says

Published Aug 16, 2023 09:07 am

The need for US Congress to declare war should there be an armed conflict between the Philippines and China over their West Philippine Sea (WPS) territorial dispute is not absolute.

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Sen. Imelda "Imee" Marcos (Senate PRIB Photo)

This was the assessment of Senator Imee Marcos, chairwoman of the Senate foreign relations committee, during her public hearing on Senate Resolution No. 584 authored by Senator Francis Tolentino.

The resolution urges President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. to push for the amendment and strengthening of the 73-year-old RP-US Mutual Defense Treaty (MDT) and other ancillary treaties and agreements for an iron-clad US support principally to cover the Philippine-China territorial dispute on the West Philippine Sea.

Philippine officials are worried that in case of an armed conflict between the Philippines and China, the country still has to wait for a declaration of war by Congress after the Philippines has invoked the MDT.

On many occasions, according to Marcos, the US President has waged war, including the Vietnam and Korean wars, without seeking approval from the US Congress, a legislative body mandated by the US Constitution to officially declare war.

Marcos said there were 125 occasions where the US President had employed military forces without authority from the US Congress.

"It is not a cut and dried thing despite the fact that it (declaration of war by Congress) is contained in the (US) Constitution," she pointed out.

Senator Risa Hontiveros said the MDT is a "powerful deterrent" and it would make it unpalatable for China to trigger war.

The public hearing was suspended pending the submission of a study on the mechanism to invoke and activate the MDT.

When the committee hearing resumed, Marcos said she would hold closed door sessions on the Ayungin Shoal incident; expected deliveries of different agencies; and procedures on the landing of US military aircraft on Philippine airports.

On fears that China has agents monitoring the preparation and sailing of Philippine vessels to resupply the grounded BRP Sierra Madre in Ayungin Shoal, Senator Ronald "Bato" dela Rosa brushed this off.

Dela Rosa said there is no way to stop China from snooping because it has satellites to monitor activities in the West Philippine Sea.

The recent use of water cannon by a Chinese Coast Guard on a smaller Philippine resupply vessel triggered calls for US vessels to escort Philippine resupply vessels.

During the water cannoning incident, Philippine defense officials said there were 80 to 200 Chinese Coast Guard, militia and Navy vessels in the area.

Related Tags

Sen. Imee Marcos US Congress Senate foreign relations committee West Philippine Sea
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