Malacañang on Monday defended the Philippine government’s defense ties with the United States amid calls from Sen. Miriam Defensor-Santiago to scrap the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA).
Santiago earlier also said the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA) between the Philippines and the US is invalid.
Presidential Communications Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr., however defended the closer defense ties between the US and the Philippines.
“Ang VFA, Mutual Defense Treaty at EDCA ang mga sandigan ng US-Philippines strategic partnership at batayan ng pagpapatatag sa seguridad ng bansa [The VFA, the MDT and EDCA are the pillars of the US – Philippines strategic partnership as well as the basis for strengthening the security of our country],” Coloma said.
Santiago had called the Aquino administration to scrap the VFA, saying that the Supreme Court (SC) failed to rise from its problematic 2009 ruling on the VFA by also upholding as constitutional the EDCA.
She said a resolution without Senate concurrence, any treaty or international agreement, including the EDCA, is invalid.
Last week, the SC upheld the constitutionality of the EDCA.
Several groups filed a petition before the SC contesting the constitutionality of the EDCA and asking for the issuance of a temporary restraining order on the implementation of the EDCA, saying that it violates provisions on national sovereignty, territorial integrity and interests, freedom from nuclear weapons and autonomy of local government units in the charter.
The EDCA is an agreement between the Philippines and the United States which is envisioned to advance the implementation of the Philippine-US Mutual Defense Treaty.
President Aquino had said that the increased rotational presence of US troops here will be beneficial not just in the area of defense but also for the economy of both countries.
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