Nine months after Russian forces crossed into Ukraine, Kyiv signed an agreement with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean), acceding to the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation (TAC) to shore up international support to isolate Moscow.
Manila does not need an ally that cannot be relied on and changes its mind depending on its interests.
The Philippines and the rest of ASEAN should remain neutral to the conflict and instead facilitate dialogue to end the war.
Filipinos must not make another mistake of electing a morally flawed presidential candidate who will defy conventional wisdom and line up the Philippines behind pariah states.