As President Donald Trump deepens the US military’s involvement in the Middle East, questions are resurfacing over whether the Philippines could again play a logistical role to support Washington, as it did during the Iraq War more than two decades ago.
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The issue came up at a press briefing conducted by the Philippine military on Tuesday, where officials were asked if facilities designated under the Enhanced Defence Cooperation Agreement (EDCA) could be used to support US operations against Iran.
Following multiple attacks from Israel and Iran against each other earlier this month, the US joined its Israeli ally by attacking three nuclear facilities in Iran on Sunday. In retaliation, Iran launched multiple missiles targeting US forces at an air base in Qatar on Monday.
EDCA, along with the Mutual Logistics Support Agreement, grants US forces rotational access to select Philippine military bases, where they preposition fuel, ammunition and other equipment. These arrangements operate alongside the 1951 Mutual Defence Treaty (MDT), which commits both countries to act in the event of an armed attack on either party in the Pacific.
Colonel Francel Margareth Padilla, spokeswoman for the Philippine military, declined to confirm whether those facilities could be used in the current conflict, saying only: “We do not want to hone in on the role of the armed forces. At this point in time, we are prepared for any contingencies.”
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The Philippine military’s current priority was “to make sure that our countrymen will come home safe”, she added.