Court Ruling Paves Way for US to Return to Philippines

SUBIC BAY, Philippines -- Twenty-four years after the U.S. military left the Philippines, the country is asking America to come back. A Philippine Supreme Court ruling has paved the way for America's return.

Forced from the Philippines by the Japanese in 1942, U.S. Gen. Douglas McArthur pledged to return. Two and a half years later, he made good on that promise, arriving at the Philippine island of Leyte declaring, "I have returned." 

And today -- the U.S. military is returning once again to bases in the Philippines for the first time since 1992.

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry welcomed the Philippine Supreme Court decision allowing the return. He said the American-Philippines relationship begins with a pledge that "the United States has a very firm, iron-clad commitment to the security of the Philippines."

During World War II, it needed  American help to fight the Japanese. Today, it wants America to counter China's expanded military reach, especially in the South China Sea.

China has used its coast guard and navy to bully its neighbors over territorial and water rights. Filipino fishermen have been on the receiving end of Chinese water cannons, boat rammings, and threats in an area known as Scarborogh Shoal.

The Scarborogh Shoal is in the South China Sea. While it's 120 miles from the Philippines and 400 miles from China, the Chinese government claims the territory as its own. It falls within an ambiguous zone that China calls the 9 dash line, Chinese territorial waters. The Spratly and Paracel Islands also fall within that area.

China is enforcing its claims by also taking action against Malaysia and Vietnam.

One video showed a Chinese ship ramming and sinking a Vietnamese boat.

Why the aggressive moves? In addition to fish, the South China Sea is rich in oil and natural gas.

And China has implemented an ambitious construction program to make its claims permanent. It's building oil platforms, aircraft landing strips, and even new islands.

The Chinese government has warned the United States military to stay away, saying any U.S. aircraft over flights, or naval approach to the islands will be considered a violation of Chinese territory.

But U.S. Defense Secretary Ashton Carter says America will not be kept away.

"The United States has indicated our intention to fly, sail, or operate wherever international law allows, whether it be the South China Sea or anywhere else," he insisted.

Now that constitutional hurdles have  been overcome, the U.S. may return to eight bases like the one at Subic Bay. All the details have yet to be hammered out, but the action is welcome news to America and its allies.

It sends a strong message to China and anyone else that the U.S. is committed to protect its interests and those of its allies in the western Pacific.

*Portions of this story were first reported in April 2015.