Countries of the World/COUNTRYS.BIN/dp/0290/02903.txt

Text File | 1991-06-25 | 35KB | 554 lines

$Unique_ID{COW02903}
$Pretitle{272}
$Title{Philippines
Chapter 5E.   Foreign Military Relations}
$Subtitle{}
$Author{Melinda W. Cooke}
$Affiliation{HQ, Department of the Army}
$Subject{states
united
law
military
national
police
forces
philippine
crime
criminal}
$Date{1983}
$Log{Figure 12.*0290301.scf
}
Country:     Philippines
Book:        Philippines, A Country Study
Author:      Melinda W. Cooke
Affiliation: HQ, Department of the Army
Date:        1983

Chapter 5E.   Foreign Military Relations

     The Philippines maintained its closest military relations with the United
States. The relationship was based on three arrangements: the Military Bases
Agreement of 1947; the Military Assistance Agreement of the same year; and the
Mutual Defense Treaty, signed in August 1951 and put into force in August
1952.

[See Figure 12.: Ranks and Insignia of the Philippine Armed Forces, 1983]

     Under the 1947 Military Bases Agreement, the Philippines allowed the
United States to maintain military installations in the nation. The original
duration of the accord-99 years-was shortened in a 1959 amendment to 25 years
with the proviso for a renewal if mutually agreed on at the termination of
that period in 1991. Issues connected with the presence of the bases and
United States forces were sometimes the objects of considerable controversy
within the nation, two matters in particular-jurisdiction over criminal
offenses and Philippine sovereignty-arousing widespread interest and sometimes
opposition. Amendments in 1965 (put into effect in 1966) centered on revising
arrangements over legal jurisdiction in criminal and civil matters to bring
the agreement into closer accord with Philippine wishes. After long and
difficult negotiation in the mid- and late 1970s, the bases agreement was
again amended in 1979, reaffirming Philippine sovereignty over the bases. The
1979 amendments also provided for the installation of a Philippine commander
at each United States base, reduced the areas for United States use on certain
bases, provided for the Philippines to take over perimeter defense, assured
the United States of unhampered military operations within the bases, and
required a thorough review of all issues connected with the bases agreement to
be undertaken every five years. In conjunction with the signing of the accord,
President Jimmy Carter agreed to make his best effort to obtain a security
assistance package of US$500 million for the five-year period of 1979-83.
Security assistance was in the form of US$50 million in military assistance
grants, US$250 million in Foreign Military Sales (FMS) credits, and US$200
million in Security Support Assistance. The last was to be used primarily to
improve conditions around the bases, which were notorious for their
red-light districts and consequent social problems.

     In accordance with the amendment calling for a review of the bases
agreement to be held every five years, United States and Philippine
representatives began meeting in April 1983 and on June 1, 1983, signed the
Memorandum of Agreement. Under provisions of the 1983 review, the United
States agreed to seek prior consultation with the Philippines before
establishing long-range missiles on United States bases in the nation or
before using the bases for reasons outside the purposes of the Mutual Defense
Treaty between the two nations or the Southeast Asia Collective Defense Treaty
(sometimes called the Manila Pact-see Glossary) to which both nations and
others, including Thailand, were signatories. Inclusion of the latter in
effect provided for the use of the bases for operations in the defense of
Thailand. The United States also agreed to give Philippine commanders
increased access to facilities at the United States bases and pledged that
United States personnel and dependents would respect Philippine law and
abstain from political activity in the Philippines. In addition, the United
States vowed to work further to improve social and economic conditions
in areas surrounding the bases. Both parties agreed to amend portions of the
military bases agreement concerning the jurisdiction of criminal cases in
times of war. Coincident with the conclusion of the 1983 review, President
Ronald Reagan promised to make his best effort to provide the Philippines with
a security assistance package worth US$900 million to be disbursed over the
1984-88 period. The package comprised US$125 million in grant military
assistance, US$475 million in economic assistance funds, and US$300 million in
FMS credits. The terms of the FMS credits were considerably better than those
for the 1979-83 period, having a 10-year grace period and a 20-year repayment
period.

     The United States maintained five military facilities in the Philippines.
The two most important were the Subic Bay Naval Base (and associated units at
Cubi Point, Zambales Province) and Clark Air Base, the largest United States
military base outside the continental United States. Both were located
northwest of Metro Manila. Other facilities comprised the John Hay Air Station
in Benguet Province, the Naval Communications Station in Zambales Province,
and Wallace Air Station in La Union Province. Philippine armed forces
periodically engaged in joint training exercises with United States forces
assigned to these bases, on both permanent and temporary status.

     Under the terms of the 1947 Military Assistance Agreement with the United
States, the Philippines has continued the military relationship between the
two nations that has existed since the start of the American colonial period
and has provided the Philippines with military equipment, training, and
logistical support. The effect of such aid on the shaping of the Philippine
armed forces would be hard to exaggerate. Although the country has diversified
its military procurement somewhat since the mid-1970s and has adapted its
force structures to meet domestic conditions, the impact of United States
military influence on Philippine forces has remained strong. In the early
1980s the level of United States military aid combined with the need to
maintain equipment compatibility made the United States the major supplier of
Philippine military needs. During the 1950-82 period the United States funded
military education for almost 17,000 Filipinos, 624 of these during the
1980-82 period. Most studied in United States military schools.

     Under a separate program, Filipino students studied at the United States
military academies. In general, there was at least one in each class at the
United States Military Academy, as well as a smaller number in the United
States Naval Academy at Annapolis, the Air Force Academy at Colorado Springs,
and the Coast Guard Academy at New London.

     The two nations' military relations were also based on the Mutual Defense
Treaty. Under that treaty the Philippines and the United States each agreed
that "an armed attack in the Pacific Area on either of the Parties would be
dangerous to its own peace and safety ..." Both nations pledged that in such
an event each "would act to meet the common danger in accordance with its
constitutional processes." There has been some complaint in official and other
Philippine circles since the late 1970s that by specifying that either party
must act according to its constitutional process, defense might not be
automatic or prompt. The United States has given assurances, however, that it
considers Philippine security vital to United States interests.

     The Philippines and the United States were both signatories of the
Southeast Asia Collective Defense Treaty of 1954. That treaty provided that
each member would "act to meet the common danger in accordance with its own
constitutional processes" in the event of armed attack against any member. If
the threat to a member state's territorial integrity, sovereignty, or
political independence came in a form other than direct attack, members
pledged to consult on how to mount a common defense. The original signatories
of the