The Philippine supreme court has cleared the way for a contested defense treaty that allows the US to deploy aircraft, naval ships and thousands of US Marines to Philippine shores at a time when China is beginning to assert itself more vigorously in the South China Sea. 

Signed in 2014 by US president Barrack Obama and Philippine president Benigno Aquino, Jr., the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA) between the US and the Philippines seeks to revitalize the 65-year old military alliance between the two nations some two decades after US troops were forced out of the Philippines by the country's senate.

Like Us on Facebook

The pact was stalled for two years after a group of Filipino lawyers argued that it violated the Philippine constitution as it had not been approved by the country's senate.  In its ruling issued on Tuesday, the top Philippine court said the 2014 EDCA is not a new treaty, and as such does not require the approval of Filipino lawmakers. 

"EDCA is not constitutionally infirm," asserted Philippine supreme court spokesman Theodore Te.  "It remains consistent with existing laws and treaties that it purports to implement."

US Secretary of State John Kerry welcomed the ruling, saying it was an important decision. 

"The United States has an iron-clad commitment to the security of the Philippines," Kerry said.  "To that end we welcome the Philippine supreme court's decision ... [and] look forward to implementing this accord."

Kerry and US defense secretary Ash Carter met with top Philippine diplomatic and defense officials in Washington after the ruling.  The group is expected to discuss economic and security issues, including the increasingly tense situation in the South China Sea. 

Saddled by debt and hobbled by unfettered population growth, the Philippine republic is among the poorest nations in Southeast Asia. Some analysts have suggested that the Philippine government was compelled to pursue the ratification of the defense pact after failing to engage Beijing in a multilateral effort to establish a code of conduct for maritime activities in the disputed territories of the South China Sea. 

US Senate Armed Services Committee chairman John McCain has, meanwhile, hailed the revitalized US-Philippines defense treaty, saying it will raise the alliance of the two nations to a level of cooperation and integration not seen in decades.

"As Manila finds itself the target of Chinese coercion in the West Philippine Sea and is looking to Washington for leadership, this agreement will give us new tools to ... expand engagement with the Philippine armed forces, and enhance our presence in Southeast Asia," McCain said. 

China is managing separate disputes with Brunei, Taiwan, Malaysia, Vietnam and the Philippines over territories in the South China Sea.  The Philippines has filed a case against China's seizure of the disputed territories in the international tribunal at The Hague. The court is expected to deliver a ruling within the year despite the fact that China has refused to participate in the proceedings.

TagsUS-Philippiness, China-Philippines, US-Philippines defense pact