Panfilo "Ping" Lacson (Mark Balmores/ MANILA BULLETIN)

The Philippines could opt to "strengthen its position" in the West Philippine Sea (WPS) by pursuing pacts with other countries similar to its 1951 Mutual Defense Treaty (MDT) with its long-time ally, the United States (US). 

Administration senatorial candidate Panfilo "Ping" Lacson recently made this suggestion on the campaign trail, where the WPS issue with regional power China had been a recurring topic. 

"We will definitely support kung yung (if the) executive branch would enter into treaties with more countries in the mode of [MDT] with the [US]," said the former Philippine National Police (PNP) chief. 

"Kasi hindi naman natin kakayanin talaga na pagdating ng China (It's because we really can't take on China alone)," noted Lacson. 

The MDT--signed just six years after the end of World War II--has been symbolic of the indomitable ties between the Philippines and iits previous colonizer, the US. 

An oft-cited provision of the particular treaty is Article V, which says that “an armed attack on either of the Parties is deemed to include an armed attack on the metropolitan territory of either of the Parties, or on the island territories under its jurisdiction in the Pacific or on its armed forces, public vessels or aircraft in the Pacific".  

In layman's terms, it says that an attack on the Philippines will be considered an attack on the US, and vice versa. 

"Kailangan pa siguro mag-encourage tayo or mag kumbinsi pa ng ibang bansa na pwede tayong makipag-MDT rin (Maybe we should encourage or convince other countries that we can also have MDTs with them)," said Lacson, a member of the Alansya para sa Bagong Pilipinas senatorial ticket. 

The former senator clarified that the move wasn't to invite war with China, "but to preempt". 

"Kasi mas maraming alliances with equally strong countries militarily na katulad ng China, makakapag-balance ng power yun sa [WPS] (Because there are more alliances with equally strong countries militarily like China that can create a balance of power in WPS)," he explained. 

"And we are ready to support by way of fortifying whatever treaty na ipapadala sa Senado para i-ratify namin (that would be sent to the Senate for us to ratify)," Lacson said.