EVEN before the ratification vote could be taken by the Senate, Sen. Manuel Roxas II conceded that Filipinos are locked in a no-win situation over the controversial Japan-Philippines Economic Partnership Agreement (Jpepa), largely owing to the weakness of the government’s trade negotiators.

Roxas, cosponsor of the Jpepa committee report submitted for floor deliberations last week, confirmed that the trade accord’s key provisions heavily favor Japan.

But if the Senate rejects ratification of the lopsided agreement, he said the Philippines would be at a great disadvantage with neighboring nations that also trade the same goods and services with Japan.

“Although the Jpepa would not benefit Filipinos much, it would be far more harmful to not pass it and be left behind by other Association of Southeast Asian Nation members trading with Japan,” Roxas said over the weekend. “Some say we could have gotten more. Others claim we gave up too much.”

Roxas added: “Let me be candid. I, too, feel that we could have negotiated better. We could have gotten more.”

He said the choice before the Senate, which resumes floor deliberations on the trade treaty in Monday’s session, is not the present Jpepa versus another Jpepa “that we can pick and choose from.”

“The choice before is the present Jpepa versus no Jpepa, and an uncertain future as to when it could be renegotiated again and what terms we could actually obtain at that future time,” he added.

Roxas recommended that in order to address environmental concerns in the Jpepa, the Executive should transmit to the Senate the Basel Ban Amendment, which would widen the coverage of hazardous substances banned for export, to include items for recycling.

“It is about time that the Senate reviews and consults with stakeholders on the need to ratify the amendment to the Basel Ban Convention,” he said, adding that “the important thing is to get started with the discussions.”

CA orders charges filed vs Salapuddin

THE Court of Appeals (CA) has ordered the inclusion of former Basilan congressman Gerry Salapuddin as respondent in the multiple murder and multiple frustrated murder case earlier filed before the Regional Trial Court in Quezon City against six others in connection with last year’s bombing inside the Batasan Complex that killed five persons, including Liberal Party Rep. Wahab Akbar of Basilan, and left several others badly injured.

Government-MILF pact not yet law—LPP

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Kit, Bono: New deal needed

FORMER legislators Francisco “Kit” Tatad and Homobono Adaza expressed hope on Sunday that the Supreme Court (SC) will nullify the Memorandum of Agreement on Ancestral Domain (MOA-AD) that would create a new, larger homeland, and give the Arroyo administration a chance to come up with the best solution.

No-win for Manila in Jpepa, Roxas concedes

EVEN before the ratification vote could be taken by the Senate, Sen. Manuel Roxas II conceded that Filipinos are locked in a no-win situation over the controversial Japan-Philippines Economic Partnership Agreement (Jpepa), largely owing to the weakness of the government’s trade negotiators.

AFP hits rebel holdouts

THE military on Sunday unleashed its might on Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) rebels who refused to leave 13 barangays in North Cotabato that they had taken by force from Christian residents and have occupied since last month.

Transco bill’s OK ‘sneaky’

AN antidebt watchdog on Sunday questioned the “stealthy manner” the bill for the National Transmission Corp. (Transco) sailed through the House of Representatives until it was finally passed on third reading.