The military partnership between the Philippines and the United States remains “ironclad” despite questions raised by some sectors about Washington’s recent actions in Venezuela and their possible implications in the West Philippine Sea (WPS), the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) said on Tuesday, Jan. 6.

Rear Adm. Roy Vincent Trinidad, AFP spokesperson for WPS, said statements and actions by the United States continue to affirm its treaty commitments to the Philippines and attempts to link US actions outside the region to doubts about the alliance form part of efforts to undermine public confidence.

“Statements from the United States Embassy here in Manila have reiterated many times that the treaty between the Philippines and the US is ironclad. Efforts by the United Front Works of the Chinese Communist Party are to sow doubt in the minds of Filipinos that the US is not a reliable treaty partner,” Trinidad said.

He said actual developments in the WPS contradict such narratives as he pointed to the continued participation of the US in multilateral exercises and maritime cooperative activities with the Philippines and other partners.

“Actions in the West Philippine Sea and actions in our different multilateral exercises, of which the US participates, strongly reinforce that this treaty is definitely ironclad,” he said.

Asked directly if the US operation in Venezuela affects Manila’s confidence in its main treaty ally, Trinidad declined to draw any connection. He said the AFP remains focused on regional security concerns.

“I would like to focus on the actions of our treaty ally and other like-minded nations here in the West Philippine Sea. On matters beyond the region, I would like to defer to the appropriate government agency,” the admiral said.

Last Jan. 3, the US launched a major military operation in Venezuela where American forces carried out strikes and a special operations mission that resulted in the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores. They were transported to New York to face US federal charges, including allegations related to narcotics trafficking.

The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) expressed concern over the US military’s operation and stressed the importance of international law, sovereign equality of states, non-interference, and peaceful resolution of disputes.

Several senators and lawmakers, including Senators Riza Hontiveros and Imee Marcos, also voiced alarm and condemnation of the US action while the Akbayan party-list and Makabayan bloc at Congress condemned the military action as an illegal invasion that threatens sovereignty.

For Professor Walden Bello, chair of the Focus on the Global South, an activist think tank in Asia, the US strike in Venezuela is an example of powerful nations imposing their influence over smaller states.

He cautioned that such interventions erode the rules-based international system that safeguards weaker countries. He also highlighted a shift toward a multipolar world, with rising powers like China and Russia playing larger roles.

He argued that such moves create a risky precedent that leaves smaller nations more vulnerable.

The AFP, on the other hand, described the WPS as part of a broader global security environment marked by rising geopolitical tensions. Trinidad said China’s goal remains the same, and that is to establish control over the entire South China Sea, including the WPS.

“The West Philippine Sea is just a microcosm of what is happening in the international arena. There is an increase in different geopolitical activities around the world, and it naturally impacts the West Philippine Sea,” he said.

He said the AFP’s response is anchored on modernization, capacity building, and defense diplomacy, and cited improved maritime domain awareness and stronger partnerships with foreign militaries.

Further, he said the AFP expects the integration of Chinese forces to continue in 2026, including the China Coast Guard, the People’s Liberation Army-Navy (PLA-N), and maritime militia.

“We expect this trend to continue. Not only at sea but even in the air,” Trinidad said.

Despite this, Trinidad said the AFP is prepared for any scenario.

“Your armed forces are prepared for any eventuality in the spectrum of conflict, from peace, crisis, to wartime. We are ready for any eventuality given our current capabilities, not only by ourselves but in conjunction with like-minded nations,” he stressed.