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The Philippines: Do Desperate Times Call For Desperate Measures?
The Philippines has been one of the most significant non-NATO allies of the United States and other NATO members. However, this relationship has come under strain as a new President implements a new strategy towards regaining control over deteriorating conditions in the island state. Recent developments indicate a new trend towards an “open alliance” with Russia and China.Growing drug addiction, especially among younger segments of the population, has increased instability. President Duterte states that there are 3 million drug addicts, which is over 3% of the population. Organized crime in the Philippines benefits from the situation as drug trafficking provides a core source of revenue.
In May, NATO Association of Canada Research Analyst Michael Kong explored how Islamist separatist groups have also established a lucrative business in kidnapping and extortion. Abu Sayyaf, a Philippine based Islamist group fighting to establish an autonomous region governed by Sharia law in the South, has been fighting against government forces since the 1990s. With shifting international allegiance from Al-Qaeda to Daesh, the group has gained access to additional arms and funds from sources funding global Islamist efforts. Through funds generated from ransoms and drug sales, organized crime and terrorist organizations are able to fund their îllégâl activities despite the ongoing efforts of the Philippine government.
Terrorist groups and organized crime have become major players in the Philippines, with previous governments struggling to combat their growth. President Duterte, elected on May 9, 2016, has established a strategy of targeted killings of those affiliated with drug trafficking as well as terrorism. By mid August, nearly 1800 had been killed under the new strategy, alarming many international observers and drawing criticism from the United States and other Western nations.
Earlier this week, Al-Jazeera interviewed President Duterte. Duterte explained the justification behind his government’s strategy:
“We have 3 million drug addicts, and it’s growing. So if we do not interdict this problem, the next generation will be having a serious problem… I do not care what the human rights guys say. I have a duty to preserve the generation. If it involves human rights, I don’t give a sh*t. I have to strike fear because the enemies of the state are out there to destroy the children… If you destroy our young children, I will kill you. That is a very correct statement.”
Duterte also explains that the judicial system has previously been unable to prosecute criminals, as the organized groups were able to follow through on threats against judges for convicting their members. The situation is reminiscent of other nations’ war on drugs, where powerful drug cartels are able to undermine the rule of law through violence against members of the judicial and executive branches of government.
U.S. Senators have been openly critical of the developments, resulting in a response from Duterte. He suggests that the U.S. is hypocritical to criticize his methods. President Duterte states that in his war against terror, and war against drugs, he is employing similar methods to the U.S, in that fighting these groups involves collateral damage. He compares U.S. airstrikes in Vietnam and Afghanistan, to the accidental killing of civilians by Philippine law enforcement when engaging armed terrorist or criminal groups.
While many Western media sources E×ρréšš concern regarding the ongoing bloodshed, Russian sources have been reporting with less critical articles. Duterte has E×ρréššed that he will form alternative alliances with Russia and China. However, as the Philippines has traditionally been a close partner with the United States, it is not clear what effect this will have on U.S.- Philippine relations. Duterte has stated that the relationship is at the “point of no return.”
The Philippines and China have recently come into conflict regarding territorial claims in the South China Sea. The Philippines won an international legal case in The Hague this July, gaining international recognition of its land claims. China refuses to recognize the ruling yet despite this, President Duterte suggests that the country will move towards an open alliance with China.
The intent to tighten ties with Russia and China is recent news, being explicitly announced in late September. It remains to be seen whether The Philippines will follow through in forming an “open alliance” with Russia or China, and what that will entail. One thing is clear: now is a time of significant change in the Philippines, with a bloody contest to quash rising drug addiction, and shifting geopolitical relationships.
President Rodrigo Duterte presents a chart illustrating a drug trade network (2016), by King Rodriguez via You do not have permission to view the full content of this post. Log in or register now.. Public Domain by the Government of the Philippines
As tensions continue to rise in the Indo-Pacific, the President of the Philippines, Rodrigo Duterte, has turned his attention to You do not have permission to view the full content of this post. Log in or register now. with the United States and allies. This shift in policy from aligning the Philippines with Beijing in 2016- to a complete pivot to Washington- has now opened up possible opportunities for the US and its allies to strengthen bonds in Asia. President Duterte, like many world leaders in Asia, has realized that trying to strike a deal with Beijing may be a less effective strategy than previously thought. President Duterte’s new reorientation strategy is good news for the US and NATO, as it is the exact opposite of his previous claims in 2016, where he discussed a want to You do not have permission to view the full content of this post. Log in or register now..
The US considers the Philippines a You do not have permission to view the full content of this post. Log in or register now., giving the nation a designation that includes a status of military and economic privilege with the US, barring any security commitments. However, the US recently You do not have permission to view the full content of this post. Log in or register now. the Philippines, including in the South China Sea. Despite President Duterte’s announcement to create strong bonds with China and Russia, the US and the Philippines You do not have permission to view the full content of this post. Log in or register now.. Since President Duterte has announced his intentions to reorient back to alliances with the US and western allies, NATO should examine the possibility of enhancing relations with the Philippines. The NATO 2030 You do not have permission to view the full content of this post. Log in or register now. currently focuses on developing relations with four key partners in the Indo-Pacific: Japan, Australia, New Zealand and the Republic of Korea. The new Philippines pivot is a good starting point for NATO to begin looking towards the Philippines as a strategic partner for its global approach.
NATO and these four key partners in the Indo-Pacific meet regularly to discuss global balance of power and mutual security issues. It allows the partners to continue to promote a mutually beneficial sense of awareness in global affairs, especially when it comes to the status of the Indo-Pacific region. The new announcement by President Duterte gives NATO the chance to bring the Philippines in to enhance these partnerships and strengthen security in the Indo-Pacific region. Freedom of navigation in the South China Sea is vital to all aspects of trade and energy, along with maintaining Sea Lines of Communication (SLOC). The more countries participating in cooperation, the better. Since the Philippines has emphasized its relations with China being You do not have permission to view the full content of this post. Log in or register now. in nature, it may be within the realm of interest for strategic partners in the region who have less ties to China to bring the Philippines into these discussions with NATO. This would help provide a more comprehensive picture of security. However, the Philippine Constitution requires President Duterte to step down in June 2022, when his You do not have permission to view the full content of this post. Log in or register now.. Keeping the Philippines in the strategic loop of the western alliances is more important now than ever, and NATO can help bolster this relationship.
Many other aspects of the China-Philippines relationship point to a firm baseline that both countries are not likely to become allies anytime soon. The Filipino population largely favors relations with the United States over China. A You do not have permission to view the full content of this post. Log in or register now. in early 2021 showed that 87% of Filipino respondents said they would choose the US over China if they needed to align with a country. This is the You do not have permission to view the full content of this post. Log in or register now. in all of Southeast Asia. Along with these statistics, the Philippines and China have had constant disputes in the South-China Sea, promoting tensions between the two countries, and certainly not driving either towards an alliance- or even a strategic partnership- anytime soon.
So, what is holding NATO back from capitalizing on relations with the Philippines? A strategy that welcomes the Philippines as a strategic partner in the Indo-Pacific can only help enhance the Indo-Pacific relations that NATO has already established. There is a pocket of opportunity presented when looking at the Philippines and their strategy to pivot back to the United States. With strong narratives against China from the local Filipino population, there is a likelihood that their new president will feel the same. Promoting a partnership with the Philippines now is crucial to avoiding a pro-China Philippines in the future. To maintain the balance of power in the Indo-Pacific, it is imperative that NATO consider situations like this a good opportunity for promoting mutual security and cooperation in the region.
Photo: President Duterte attending a business forum in Seoul by Jeon Han. Via You do not have permission to view the full content of this post. Log in or register now.
Disclaimer: Any views or opinions E×ρréššed in articles are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the views of the NATO Association of Canada or the United States Air Force.
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