A YouTube video erroneously claimed that the Philippines and Canada have signed a mutual defense treaty (MDT). This is not true. No such pact has been forged but the two countries are looking to sign a memorandum of understanding (MOU) on defense cooperation.
Uploaded on Oct. 2, the false video bore a title saying:
“CHINA UMATRAS NA! PBBM GINULAT NG CANADA! PIRMADO NA GYERA! MUTUAL DEFENSE TREATY AT PERMANENTE EDCA. (China steps back! PBBM shocked by Canada! War, mutual defense treaty and permanent Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement was signed).”
The Philippines and Canada have no existing MDT nor are they set to sign one. The two countries are only pursuing an MOU on defense cooperation, Canadian Ambassador David Hartman said in a Sept. 30 press conference.
Hartman previously said the MOU will not be a treaty or legally-binding document but a demonstration of increased collaboration on information exchanges, military exercises and capacity building. Treaties, on the other hand, are legally enforceable.
The Philippines and Canada already signed an MOU on military training in 2014.
It is also untrue that Canada has signed any agreement to go to war with China nor was it given its own EDCA sites in the country.
The Philippines has an MDT only with the United States (U.S.), signed in 1951. The treaty requires both nations to assist each other during an armed attack by another country.
Moreover, only U.S. troops are authorized to be stationed in the nine EDCA sites scattered across the country following an agreement signed in 2014.
The video merely played clips from ABS-CBN News, PTV and DZBB. The news reports only discussed the recent arrival of HMCS Vancouver ahead of a joint naval drill with the Philippines, U.S., Australia, Japan, France, and the United Kingdom that began on Oct. 3. Two of the reports also discussed President Marcos’ order to remove floating barriers installed by China near Scarborough Shoal.
The false video was published two days after Hartman spoke about the MOU aboard HMCS Vancouver.
Uploaded by YouTube channels Boss Balita TV and BALITA NI JUAN, the video currently has a total of 66,628 views, 2,242 likes and 329 comments. Netizens also shared the link on Facebook.
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