QUEZON CITY, Philippines (Eagle News) — Presidential Spokesperson Ernesto Abella said that the reported plan of the United States, specifically the Pentagon, to conduct air strikes in Marawi City is unconstitutional and is “prohibited by our law.”
“It does not involve any boots on the ground nor any direct participation in combat operations, such as the air strikes reportedly being planned against Islamic State-inspired groups in the Philippines.
This is a matter prohibited by our law and Constitution,” Abella said.
He clarified that although the fight against terrorism is a responsibility of the community of nations, such direct strike will also violate the defense treaty between the Philippines and the US.
Abella said that US is only limited to providing technical assistance and information-sharing and training for Philippine soldiers.
“While PH-US military alliance remains solid and robust, US military assistance to the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) is limited to technical assistance, information sharing and training,” he said in a statement
In an article posted by NBC News, it cited two US defense officials who allegedly revealed the plans of the Pentagon to conduct air strikes in Marawi City.
The NBC reported: “The authority to strike ISIS targets as part of collective self-defense could be granted as part of an official military operation that may be named as early as Tuesday, said the officials. The strikes would likely be conducted by armed drones.”
The Pentagon is the headquarters of the US Department of Defense.
The NBC article was posted on August 7.
“If approved, the U.S. military would be able to conduct strikes against ISIS targets in the Philippines that could be a threat to allies in the region, which would include the Philippine forces battling ISIS on the ground in the country’s southern islands,” the report said.
But Pentagon spokesperson Lt. Col. Christopher B Logan also told NBC News that “The Philippines have not requested nor is the U.S. planning drone strikes in the Philippines.”