By CHARMAINE DEOGRACIAS, VERA Files
In a departure from the previous administration’s support of the United States freedom- of-navigation activities in the South China Sea, Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said Thursday. the Philippines for will not allow the use of former American military bases – Clark and Subic -for FON patrols of the United States Armed Forces.
Lorenzana said President Duterte is not in favor of U.S. vessels venturing into disputed waters in the South China in the name of freedom of navigation.
“As he said we will avoid any provocative actions to de-escalate tension in the South China Sea. So I think it is unlikely (that Philippines will support US FON operations),” Lorenzana said in doorstop interview at the Pilipinas Conference held at the Peninsula Hotel.
Asked further to explain the Philippines’ turn-around, Lorenzana said, “We are just trying to avoid tensions because one of the things that we see there is, to the Chinese, we allow our land as base for the American’s incursion towards their area, so we will avoid that.”