Foreign Affairs Secretary Blas F. Ople today said that there are no plans to return US military bases to the Philippines.  The Secretary made this statement in response to some reports that the US has asked for a return of their military bases to the Philippines.

“Our relations with the US has strengthened and matured way past any notion of having US bases in the Philippines.  US military bases are no longer in any equation when it comes to our relations.  We have many exchanges and visits from US civilian and military personnel, and this reflects the vigor with which we pursue our relations.  But military bases are simply out of the question,” the Secretary said.

Some reports associated the visit of US officials with an attempt to re-establish US military bases.  Some reports also quoted DFA sources as having given the impression that the US is asking for the return of military bases.

“I understand that these misleading statements were even made in a press conference here in the Department. I regret that some of my officials do not have enough good sense on matters like this.  They perhaps need a good dose of good judgement and learn not to make irresponsible and misleading statements that do nothing but increase their false sense of self-importance,” the Secretary said.  He added that he has asked the Office of American Affairs to report to him on how misleading and false statements on this issue were made.

“Nothing in our strategic relations with the US calls for a return of the US military bases.  Even an invocation of our Mutual Defense Treaty, in case we are attacked, would no longer contemplate the establishment of the return of US military bases.  Any presence of US military forces would be temporary and based on the Visiting Forces Agreement and not on any military bases agreement,” the Secretary clarified. END.