MANILA – The National Security Council (NSC) sees no threat of any imminent hypersonic missile attack from China on at least 25 areas in the Philippines.
According to NSC assistant director general Jonathan Malaya, they plan to meet with Sen. Imee Marcos regarding her claim in a social media post.
“We will reach out to Senator Imee to get more information about her statement because we are not aware of any of the security threats she mentioned,” Malaya said.
According to Malaya, the Philippines and China “reaffirmed their commitment to deescalating tensions in the West (Philippine) Sea” during a recent bilateral meeting.
“There was also substantial progress on developing measures to manage the situation in the West Philippine Sea, including improving maritime communications,” Malaya said.
“The PH and PRC (People’s Republic of China) maintain cordial relations and are committed to managing whatever differences there may be, thus, we see no threat of any imminent attack from the PRC,” he added.
The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), for their part, stated they are ready to coordinate with Senator Marcos over her claim that some areas in the country were potential targets of Chinese hypersonic missiles.
“The AFP takes such concerns seriously. We are ready to coordinate with Senator Marcos to obtain details and take appropriate actions to ensure our nation’s security,” AFP spokesperson Col. Francel Margareth Padilla said.
Senator Marcos, sister of President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr., reportedly expressed concern over China’s alleged plan to attack 25 areas in the country, including Batanes and Ilocos, using “hypersonic missiles.”
The move is supposedly in response to the Philippines’ Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA) with the United States, which gives American forces access to Philippine military camps to enhance cooperation.
In February 2023, President Marcos granted the country’s long-standing ally access to four more Philippine military camps on top of the five existing locations under the EDCA – the Naval Base Camilo Osias in Sta. Ana, Cagayan; Lal-lo Airport in Lal-lo, Cagayan; Camp Melchor Dela Cruz in Gamu, Isabela; and Balabac Island in Palawan.
The first five EDCA locations were Basa Air Base in Pampanga, Fort Magsaysay in Nueva Ecija, Lumbia Air Base in Cagayan de Oro, Antonio Bautista Air Base in Palawan, and Mactan Benito Ebuen Air Base in Cebu./PN
