Pact allowing more US troops in PH unlikely to be signed in time for Obama's visit - Palace

From InterAksyon (Apr 22): Pact allowing more US troops in PH unlikely to be signed in time for Obama's visit - Palace

A week before the visit of United States President Barack Obama, the proposed Enhanced Defense Cooperation (EDC) agreement between the two countries is still undergoing an inter-agency vetting, the Palace said Monday.

Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO) Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr. said that because of this, it is not likely that the EDC would be signed in time for US President Barack Obama’s visit to the Philippines next week.

Earlier, Senator Miriam Defensor-Santiago has warned that the proposed agreement would be unconstitutional without the Senate’s concurrence. The Palace has said that the pact that would allow more US troops on Philippine soil is not a treaty and thus will not be submitted to the Senate for concurrence.

 “Noong huli tayong nagbigay ng update, ang sinabi ng Philippine panel ay it’s (EDC) undergoing inter-agency vetting from both sides (The last time we gave an update, the Philippine panel said that it’s still undergoing inter-agency vetting from both sides),” Coloma said in a Palace media briefing.

He further said that the agreement is to have an implementation of aspects wherein specific agencies of the government will play a role.

"There are implementing aspects that affect agencies of government across the executive department and we will have to get their sign off before we agree on the final draft of the agreement," he added.

Coloma also said that President Obama’s visit is not at all linked to the signing of the EDC, so there is “really no deadline or pressure” on getting it signed immediately.

“Ang mahalaga sa lahat, kung ano man ang magiging laman nitong kasunduang ito ay dapat na naaayon sa pambansang interes ng Pilipinas (What is most important is that whatever is contained in this agreement will be according to the national interest of the Philippines),” he said.

As for President Obama’s state-visit itinerary, Coloma said its details have yet to be released by the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA).

http://www.interaksyon.com/article/85207/pact-allowing-more-us-troops-in-ph-unlikely-to-be-signed-in-time-for-obamas-visit---palace