NAKIPAGPULONG si Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken at Defense chief Lloyd J. Austin III ng Estados Unidos kina Defense chief Gilberto Teodoro Jr. at Foreign Affairs chief Enrique Manalo ng Pilipinas sa Quezon City, nitong Martes.

Dumating ang mga ito sa Camp Aguinaldo para sa 4th Philippines-US Foreign and Defense Ministerial Dialogue kung saan inaasahan na pag-uusapan ang ‘defense and security’ at economic cooperation.

Ayon sa government sources, inaasahan nila na tatalakayin ang pagtatapos bago pa ang yearend ng mahahalagang information-sharing pact tinawag na General Security of Military Information Agreement (GSOMIA).

“This will enable real-time information-sharing and technology cooperation across domains,” ayon pa rin sa source.

“During this year’s 2+2 Dialogue, the four Secretaries are expected to discuss how to further enhance our two countries’ commitment to the PH – U.S. alliance while enabling a common program in support of the rules-based international order, enhanced economic ties, broad-based prosperity, and solutions to evolving regional and global security challenges,” ang sinabi naman ng Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA).

Ang pagbisita nina Blinken at Austin sa Pilipinas ay nagbigay-diin sa high-profile support ng Washington sa longtime treaty ally sa kasagsagan ng umiigting na alitan sa pagitan ng Tsina at Pilipinas sa West Philippine Sea, o South China Sea, partikular na sa Ayungin Shoal, o mas kilala sa international name na Second Thomas Shoal, at Bajo de Masinloc o Scarborough Shoal.
Sa labas ng Camp Aguinaldo, ilang progresibong grupo ang nagsagawa ng protest action.

Sa isang kalatas, sinabi ng grupong Bayan na ang US officials ay nasa Pilipinas “to expand US military intervention and war mongering in the country and the region.”

(CHRISTIAN DALE)