Filipino, US militaries meet to plan Edca implementation

From the Business Mirror (Oct 2): Filipino, US militaries meet to plan Edca implementation

SENIOR military officials will discuss the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (Edca) when they meet with their counterparts from the US, despite pending petitions at the Supreme Court (SC) questioning the legality and seeking the invalidation of the pact.

Gen. Gregorio Pio Catapang, Armed Forces chief of staff, said RP-US Mutual Defense Board-Security Engagement Board (MDB-SEB) meeting scheduled this month would focus on planning in deference to whatever decision that the Court may render.

“We might already discuss it despite the absence of decision, it’s some of planning. Just in case, it will be a go, then we already have plans. If not, then we will confine it in the Cabinet,” Catapang said.

The MDB-SEB, whose members are from the Philippine and US militaries, are advisory bodies that are meeting once a year to discuss and review security issues between the two countries, including crafting activities under the Visiting Forces Agreement.

The regular bilateral military exercises between the two forces fall under the boards, which are alternately meeting in the country and in the US.

Catapang said that among those that will be discussed during the meeting are the principal requirement of Edca—where the US will preposition its troops and “humanitarian equipment” and what facilities should be constructed or develop in order to house them.

Upon its signing early this year, the Edca, which officials said should benefit the country by ensuring its territorial defense and maritime security, given the security problem in the West Philippine Sea, was supposed to immediately work in identifying camps and bases where the Americans, along with their equipment, will be hosted.

Initially, the Armed Forces has identified Fort Magsaysay in Nueva Ecija, Naval Station San Miguel in Zambales and Oyster Bay in Palawan as possible sites for the repositioning American troops. Other areas were also being considered.

However, various groups went to the SC and questioned the agreement which was signed by Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin and US Ambassador Philip Goldberg while US President Barack Obama was in the country for an official visit.

Since then, any discussion on the pact was put on hold.

But Catapang said the petitions should not stop them from planning for the Edca, including its activities, without precluding the decision of the court.

Gazmin said earlier that the agreement should bring in bigger number of US soldiers under military exercises that are also bigger in scope compared to the regular war games that both countries are holding in the Philippines.

“The planning should be continuing so that once the court will give its nod, we could immediately execute it. Hopefully, the Supreme Court could immediately decide on it whether it is a go or not, because this is something that affects national security,” Catapang said.

The chief of staff admitted that the absence of any decision is also affecting the country’s security posture.

http://www.businessmirror.com.ph/filipino-us-militaries-meet-to-plan-edca-implementation/