Will Duterte reach out to U.S after China’s reported harassment of his soldiers?

The recent expose of lawmaker Gary Alejano that Filipino soldiers were harassed by Chinese soldiers in Ayungin Shoal in South China Sea, will again put President Rodrigo Duterte Duterte on the limelight as the public is interested to see his next moves to protect Philippine sovereignty.

Alejano earlier told several journalists that Chinese forces harassed Filipino soldiers at shore when the latter were delivering food items to soldiers assigned at the BRP Sierra Madre, a standed Philippine navy ship, that was converted to a Marine’s detachment at Ayungin Shoal.

The harassment came right after US Defense Secretary James Mattis met with ASEAN defense officials in Singapore to develop measures to address growing security tensions in the region.

Despite the growing military presence, Duterte at this time has not made any move to reach out to the U.S. despite pressures from analysts and opposition lawmakers that the President was then softening his sovereign stance on the disputed maritime waters. 

However, Despite Duterte’s rhetorics that he was drifting away from the US,  the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) has continued its collaboration with the US Armed Forces. Philippine Defense officials have been exchanging intelligence reports on the growing regional terrorism in southern region.

Moreiver, as part of the collaboration, the US military provided USD 3.4 million-worth of ballistic vests and accessories to the Philippine Marine Special Operations Group (Marsog) and Inshore Boat Battalion. The Philippine Marines are among the Philippine units responsible of protecting marine sovereignty.

While Duterte may not be close with the US government, US and Philippine military have remained to be the region’s closest military allies.

But despite the growing US-Philippine military ties, US equipment assistance and the long existence of the US-Philippine mutual treaty, Duterte has not publicly sought the help of US to intervene in the South China Sea.

Doubting on America’s capability to help the Philippines in times of war, Duterte asked“Can I rely now in America and drop the first bomb when we attack? Can I rely on anybody’s help? If all of my soldiers and policemen will die, who will be accountable?

Duterte also denied he was not aware of the Chinese forces harassment of Filipino soldiers and he also refused to make any comment on something he was not aware of.

Based on different polls, many pro-American Filipinos believed that the US government will still be the better strategic ally in the peaceful resolution of the South China Sea but China with its adjacent position to the region, could play as the wildcard in the region.