Panelo says invoking Mutual Defense Treaty in Recto Bank incident “reckless, premature”

(Eagle News) — Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo on Wednesday, June 19, slammed Senator Panfilo Lacson’s comment the Mutual Defense Treaty could be invoked in the Recto Bank incident that saw a Chinese vessel hitting a Filipino fishing vessel and abandoning it.

In a radio interview, Panelo said in the first place, there was “no act of aggression” so far.

“Hindi pa natin alam kung ano bang nangyari doon, is it intentional? Assuming na intentional, ang tanong ay ‘yan ba sanctioned ng Chinese government? Hindi ka basta babanat,” Panelo said.

“Mawalang galang na sa kaibigan kong si Ping [Lacson]. I think ‘yan ang tinatawag na reckless at premature,” Panelo added.

Earlier, Lacson described President Rodrigo Duterte’s statement the Recto Bank incident was “a little maritime incident,” saying it was a chance for the Philippines for a balance of powers in the West Philippine Sea.

Lacson said the Philippines had the MDT, a treaty signed between the Southeast Asian country and the United States that states that one will help the other in the event of an act of aggression from an external party, in its arsenal.

Duterte had added that he would refrain from making any comments pending the results of a probe into the incident that prompted the Philippines to file a diplomatic protest.