Philippine-American Security Relations After 11 September: Exploring the Mutuality of Interests in the Fight Against International Terrorism

Southeast Asian Affairs 2003, pp. 228-38 PHILIPPINE-AMERICAN SECURITY RELATIONS AFTER 11 SEPTEMBER Exploring the Mutuality of Interests in the Fight Against International Terrorism Noel M. Morada Introduction The rejuvenation of Philippine-American security alliance in the aftermath of the 11 September 2001 terrorist attacks on the United States has created opportunities and expectations for both countries in their fight against international terrorism. For the Philippines, supporting Washington's war essentially opened channels for increased U.S. military assistance that enabled the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) to gain the upper hand in its fight against local Islamist terrorist and secessionist groups led by the Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF). On the other hand, the United States gained much more from the revived alliance because it was able to secure a mutual logistics accord that would enable it to use Philippine territory in its campaign against international terrorism. The security interests of the Philippines and the United States on the issue, however, are by no means absolutely mutual. This chapter examines the nature and dynamics of Philippine-American security relations since 1 1 September, and looks at the influence of political and economic factors in the domestic, regional, and international levels that continue to shape the Philippines' policy of supporting the United States' war against international terrorism. Bilateral Alliance: An Overview Philippine-American security relations, dormant since the removal of the U.S. military bases in Clark and Subie Bay in 1992, were reinvigorated following the tragic event of 11 September. Philippine President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and U.S. President George W. Bush have both considered international terrorism as a serious threat to international security, and both leaders have pushed for closer military co-operation between their two countries in the fight against terrorism. However, the mutuality of Philippine and American Noel M. Morada is an Associate Professor of Political Science, University of the Philippines Diliman, Quezon City, and Executive Director, Institute for Strategic and Development Studies (ISDS), Inc., Quezon City, Philippines. Philippine-American Security Relations After 11 September229 security interests on this issue was complicated by domestic and external factors that to some extent have constrained their revitalized bilateral alliance, especially for the Philippines. For one, the deployment of a small contingent of U.S. forces in Mindanao, in February 2002, caused the re-awakening of anti-American sentiments among Filipino nationalist legislators and civil society groups — a kind of reverse déjà vu that preceded the closing days of American military presence in the country in the early 1990s. The "return" of the Americans was even more controversial because, for the first time, the annual joint military exercises between the United States and the Philippine armed forces took place in an area of Mindanao that was close to the combat zone. Later in the year, the Mutual Logistics Support Agreement (MLSA) between the two countries, which was signed in November 2002, became the object of anti-American feelings as many Filipino legislators and civil society groups criticized the agreement as unconstitutional. This stemmed largely from the fact that Filipino and American defence and foreign affairs officials negotiated the said agreement away from public scrutiny despite strong opposition from various groups in the Philippines. Domestic Opinion: Absence of Consensus Public opinion in the Philippines has been generally supportive of American military presence in the country in the context of the joint military exercises with the United States. Following a six-month U.S. military mission that ended inJuly 2002, Pulse Asia, a reputable polling institution in the country, reported that 73 per cent of Filipinos who were aware of the joint RP-US military exercises were in favour of the American military mission. Not surprisingly, support for U.S. military presence was highest in the southern part of the Philippines, which cited economic gains as well as transfer of military skills to Filipinos as foremost reasons for backing American involvement in the fight against the Abu Sayyaf Group.1 However, a number of Filipino politicians, non-governmental organizations (NGOs) , and the media have expressed opposition to allowing U.S. troops in the combat zone to be indirectly involved in the Philippine...