MEMBERS of the Makabayan Bloc in the House of Representatives are pushing for a resolution calling for the abrogation of the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (Edca) between the United States and the Republic of the Philippines (RP).
In House Resolution 31, Party-list Reps. Ariel Casilao of Anakpawis, Carlos Zarate of Bayan Muna and Emmi de Jesus of Gabriela said Edca violates the Philippines’s sovereignty, imperils the geopolitical situation in the West Philippine Sea and endangers the livelihood of farmers, fishermen and tribal communities.
Edca was signed by former Defense Secretary Voltaire T. Gazmin and US Ambassador to the Philippines Philip Goldberg in Manila on April 28, 2014, just before the arrival of US President Barack Obama.
The lawmakers said the growing US military presence in the Philippines has negatively affected the country’s international relations with other countries, such as China.
“Chinese aggression in the region correspondingly heightens as already shown in the latter’s incursive moves in the West Philippine Sea, its banning of Filipino fisherfolk in the Panatag Shoal, and its construction of man-made airstrips in the Fiery Cross Reef, Spratly Islands,” they added.
They said the continued US military presence in the country through Edca complicates and even jeopardizes the country’s claim to the West Philippine Sea.
Moreover, prior to the signing, the lawmakers said the details of the agreement were not made public and the preparatory meetings conducted by the departments of Foreign Affairs and National Defense, and Office of the President regarding the drafting of the Framework Agreement for the Increased Rotational Presence, which started way back in 2011, were kept secret.
They said the joint RP-US Balikatan Exercise through the years have affected the communities of farmers and Aeta tribesmen around Camp O’ Donnell and Crow Valley mountain range in Capas, Tarlac; around Clark Air Base in Pampanga; the Fort Ramon Magsaysay military reservation in Nueva Ecija; and other areas in the country.
“These military exercises also affect the fishermen’s communities in Subic and San Antonio, Zambales, around Sangley Point in Cavite, Mactan Air Base in Cebu, San Jose, Antique, Puerto Princesa City and Oyster Bay in Palawan and other military bases and reservations in the country,” the party-list legislators added.
They said the country was transformed into a virtual US military base in the Asia-Pacific region, where US armed forces units have practically been given free rein in conducting operations of whatever nature in strategic points inside Philippine territory.
In fact, the lawmakers said, American soldiers are allowed to use the Antonio Bautista Air Base in Palawan; Basa Air Base in Pampanga; Fort Ramon Magsaysay in Nueva Ecija; Lumbia Air Base in Cagayan de Oro; and Mactan-Benito Ebuen Air Base in Cebu.
Image credits: US Navy photo