MANUEL “MANNY” P. MOGATO is Editor-at-Large and opinion writer, writing under the column “In the Trenches.” As Reuters Manila correspondent, he and two other colleagues won the Pulitzer Prize for International Reporting in 2018 for their coverage of the Duterte administration’s war on drugs.
Emerging as a power center in the Eastern Europe region, Poland has started to flex its muscles not only in the European continent but half the world away in the Indo-Pacific region.
For instance, it made its presence felt in the Philippines when Warsaw’s charge’ d’ affaires to Manila, Jaroslaw Szczpankiewic,z, paid a courtesy call on Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro in June 2023, days after he assumed the position.
The Polish diplomat was ahead of other Western foreign embassy officials, including the US and its European allies, and the Chinese ambassador was on the list of visitors.
Of course, a company in Poland was awarded a handsome contract to deliver 32 S-70i “Black Hawk” combat utility helicopters to replace the Philippine Air Force’s aging fleet of US-donated Bell UH-1H helicopters from the Vietnam War era.
The Polish embassy was protecting its business interests because the Philippines would need 100 combat utility helicopters, and there could be successful orders.
Poland’s diplomat immediately expressed solidarity with the Philippines on the disputed waters in the South China Sea and sped up the delivery of the Black Hawk helicopters.
At least 15 of the 32 rotary aircraft are expected next year, and the rest will be before President Ferdinand Marcos steps down from power in 2028.
Warsaw had twin objectives, which are promoting its defense industries and political interests, like attacking Chinese and Russian interests.
It used to actively support Kyiv in fighting the Russians. It vocally supported Ukraine in its war against Russia.
Ukraine was also trying to expand its relations in the Asia-Pacific region and was interested in setting up an embassy in Manila.
However, the Department of Foreign Affairs has been lukewarm to the proposal even after Volodymyr Zelenskyy visited Manila in June.
The Philippines wanted a Ukrainian mission in Manila once the conflict in Eastern Europe was resolved.
Since the collapse of the Cold War-era Warsaw Pact led by the former Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR), Poland has slid to the West.
Thus, it has strongly promoted the anti-Russia and anti-China agenda of the US and its North Atlantic Treaty Organization allies.
In 1999, Poland joined the 32-nation Transatlantic military alliance led by the US, UK, France, and Germany.
Poland also has ambitions of building the most powerful army in Europe and in the world, reliving the lost glory of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth in the 16th and 17th centuries.
Manila must carefully evaluate Poland’s actions in the Indo-Pacific region, considering its relations with the United States and Western Europe.
Warsaw could be an unreliable trade and security partner as shown by its actions in Ukraine.
At the start of the conflict, it positioned itself as Ukraine’s staunch ally, demanding tough action against Russia.
However, as the conflict dragged on, Poland caused a big headache for the EU Commission and Ukraine, imposing restrictions on cross-border transition.
Experts said Poland’s border blockade had disrupted humanitarian aid and military supplies during the most critical period of the war.
Should Manila trust Warsaw? Its efforts were meant only to promote its interests. It seemed to be supporting the Western agenda but that could change if its interests become affected.
After the delivery of 32 Black Hawk helicopters, Manila should look at Warsaw’s interests in the region.
Manila does not need an ally that cannot be relied on and changes its mind depending on its interests.