Manila: The United States is not creating weapons stores or armories in the Philippines, military officials said yesterday, contradicting President Rodrigo Duterte who has complained of a US breach of a defence pact that could stoke regional tension.
Duterte on Sunday accused the United States of stirring up trouble by building permanent arms depots in his country, including delivering tanks, and threatened to respond by scrapping a security treaty between them.
Military spokesman Brigadier-General Restituto Padilla said the president's concern had been looked into and the US military's activities were to help the Philippines to better handle natural disasters.
"There was no confirmed incident of this nature," he said, referring to the accusations that arms were bring brought in.
"They are not allowed under the military agreement."
Padilla said only rubber boats, generator sets and materials for building shelters would be stored in Philippine facilities.
Another senior general, who declined to be identified because he is not authorised to speak to media, said the United States had yet to bring in any materials for upgrades to bases, which the two countries would both use.
"These facilities, like runways, are to be used jointly," the second general said, adding US-built warehouses would be owned by the Philippines.
Duterte's comments came after the Pentagon gave the green light for upgrades and construction of barracks, runways and storage facilities this year under a 2014 Enhanced Defence Cooperation Agreement (EDCA).
The defence agreement covers rotational deployment of US ships, aircraft and troops at five bases in the Philippines, and the storage of equipment for humanitarian and maritime security purposes.
The second general, who is involved in the country's military activities with other nations, said the agreement would ultimately help the Philippines to protect its extensive maritime borders.
"Our air and naval capability to cover these disputed areas are less than 50 percent, so we need our allies to help and inform us about developments in the South China Sea".
