RP willing to send non-military assets as Seoul bolsters troops
By Aytch S. de la Cruz 11/30/2010Sending Filipino soldiers to the Korean Peninsula is not the primary concern of the Philippines even as it welcomes the prospect of the United States invoking the Mutual Defense Treaty (MDT) to help defend South Korea against North Korea in the event they go into a full-blown war.
Presidential spokesman Edwin Lacierda yesterday said security officials have not discussed about that scenario presented by Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile the other day because the repatriation of Filipinos remains their top priority in case the tensions between the estranged Korean nations escalate.
Lacierda implied that if South Korea indeed asks for help with or without the US bringing the MDT into play then the Philippines would be willing to deploy doctors and nurses for humanitarian assistance only and not members of the military, given the Armed Forces of the Philippines’ (AFP) limited capability and resources.
“What is definite is we can provide humanitarian assistance to the South Korean government if and when we are asked to provide assistance... What we are more concerned really is the repatriation or evacuation of our Filipino nationals. We have not discussed anything with regard to military assistance,” Lacierda said in a chance interview..... MORE
Source: The Daily Tribune
URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/headlines/20101130hed4.html
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