Pact review urged amid Trump push

A group called the Mindanao and Sulu Unification Movement (MSUM) has called on incoming US President Donald Trump to revisit the Monroe Doctrine, which the group claims led to the violation of the 1914 Carpenter-Kiram Treaty while igniting Trump’s interest in taking control of the Panama Canal.

Abraham Idjirani, the spokesperson for MSUM, told Daily Tribune that Trump’s recent declaration about wanting to take over the Panama Canal and possibly Canada and Greenland is a clear indication that his administration is being influenced by the doctrine, which also pertains to Mindanao and Sulu.

The MSUM official claimed the United States abandoned the southern Philippines as a protectorate, despite the still valid Carpenter-Kiram Treaty.

Foreign policy model

The Monroe doctrine introduced by US President James Monroe in 1823 became the foundation of American foreign policy and helped solidify the American identity in the world.

“Since President-elect Trump is talking about Panama, Canada and Greenland, then he must revisit the Carpenter-Kiram treaty to rectify a historical error and help solidify the US presence in the Southeast Asia,” Idjirani said.