Noy bribed by Washington on EDCA—LFS

From the Daily Tribune (Jan 16): Noy bribed by Washington on EDCA—LFS

President Aquino could have been allegedly “bribed” by Washington over his lobbying of the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA) which was recently ruled as constitutional by the Supreme Court despite criticisms and the lack of ratification from the Senate as required by no less than the Constitution, which alleged bribe was worth $300 million, militant groups charged yesterday.

Youth group League of Filipino Students (LFS) said that its suspicion stems from a New York Times (NYT) report published on Sep. 20, 2015 that noted Aquino’s solicitation of $300 million from the US government to finance defense efforts against potential threats from China. 

It was during that period last year when tensions over contested territories against Beijing and Manila were high.

“In private talks, the government of President Aquino had pressed the United States for up to $300 million in aid this year, arguing that it needs a substantial buildup of planes and ships to deter Chinese expansionism, according to a senior Philippine official who spoke on condition of anonymity because United States officials have asked to keep the talks confidential,” the NYT news story said.

The same report also said that US President Barack Obama refused the said offer because of fears of corruption in the Republic, and that the Philippines too, is the biggest aid recipient of the US in Southeast Asia.

Indonesia and other South East Asian countries get more by way of US aid and military aid.

In a phone interview, Charisse Bañez, LFS chairman, told The Tribune it is very likely that Aquino’s lobbying paid off, which is a “form of pawning national sovereignty to the hands of Uncle Sam”.

Bañez dared Aquino to talk about the allegation and “not just let it pass as if it’s another joke that he can’t stand” since “it wasn’t seemingly considered a serious story”.

“Have you been bribed, Mr. President? We don’t think that this is a mere joke since you now appear as the American government’s most diligent ally and puppet of the US here in the (Southeast Asian) region,” Bañez said as a response to The Tribune’s query on what her group has to say to such accusation.

She also debunked EDCA apologists’ claim that the said treaty will be helpful to the Philippines if ever the tension against China heightens further by saying that the US government will ultimately benefit the most in the EDCA despite Philippine state security heads’ belief that it will help in the modernization of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP).

“Contextually, the EDCA is very disadvantageous to the Philippines because it opens wide the gates to US bases which was collectively rejected by the people in 1991.

 

Why? Are we preparing for war against China? Our legal battle before the UN tribunal and the efficient support of the international community will help us win a winnable fight. The subliminal option lobbied by the Aquino government and perhaps by Obama is one that will surely put the Philippines into a definite defeat. Either way, it will be the US and China that are going to win. WE are merely pawns and the EDCA allows it,” Bañez said.

“Modernization from the help of Americans? What a joke! The help they are providing are second hand recycled pieces that could be sold to junk shops. If that’s the standard of Noynoy and the AFP, well, they’re obviously swallowing blatant insults on our nation’s dignity,” she added.

The LFS leader also quipped that if US assistance is helpful, why has the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) not been effective in stopping Chinese incursions and construction of man-made islands - which turns out to be naval bases - in the disputed portions of the South China Sea (West Philippine Sea).

The EDCA allows US troops into the Philippines for extended stays and allows them to build and operate facilities on Philippine bases, for both American and Philippine fores. It is also a supplemental agreement to the previous VFA.

The agreement also allows US forces and contractors to operate out of “agreed locations,” which are defined as: “facilities and areas that are provided by the Government of the Philippines through the AFP and that United States forces, United States contractors, and others as mutually agreed”.

These identified locations which include Clark, Subic, Fort Magsaysay and facilities in Palawan, will be the site of new US bases. These facilities are not ordinary civilian structures. Control over these bases will remain with the US, it was pointed out.

Meanwhile, Anakpawis Party list Rep. Fernando Hicap warned that with the EDCA’s identified locations, it is paving the way for a return of the US military bases.

“Clearly the Aquino and the US government wasted no time to exploit the SC decision in favor of EDCA on their plan for creating de facto American military bases in PH soil. The so called agreed locations not only serve as a rotational venue for US servicemen but it will also be used as warehouse of their destructive weapon stockpile,” Hicap said.

Hicap also said that just like the US Embassy, the said selected military locations will be exclusively under US military control even it will be built inside major AFP camp adding that AFP officials even high ranking government officials cannot easily access to inspect these facilities without the US government’s permission.

“We are deeply wary that vessels such as carriers and subs may contain nuclear weapons which under the constitution clearly prohibited,” he added.

The EDCA is effective for an initial period of ten years, and thereafter, it shall continue in force automatically unless terminated by either Party by giving one year’s written notice through diplomatic channels of its intention to terminate the agreement (Article XII, Sec. 4 of EDCA).

Noy: EDCA a “practical” tool to improve AFP

President Aquino yesterday shielded the EDCA and played up the pact as a “very practical” way of improving the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) rather than engage in a mind game to threaten anyone in keeping ties with the United States.

Aquino, in a press conference at the Manila Hotel, echoed the Palace statement on the measure, describing it as an “enhancement” of the Philippines and United States’ defense capabilities.

“The basic logic behind EDCA is interoperability, and anybody who is reasonable will see that this agreement is an enhancement of both our countries’ abilities, rather than a threat to anyone else,” he said.

“All the modern hardware carries a significant price tag; yet with EDCA, we have a chance to try the cutting-edge equipment and see just how suitable they are to our needs, without having to buy them first,” Aquino added.

He added that while the AFP can learn from an advanced military force, the US “gets to learn how to make do with fewer resources, which in a conflict situation is always a high probability if not an intense possibility.”

The President’s statements came after militants rained tirades on the administration’s perpetration of ties with the United States which was more described as Aquino being a puppet of the Federal government.

Groups have scored Aquino over his soft stance with Americans and have lamented the Supreme Court’s (SC) recent decision attesting to the validity of EDCA as an executive agreement than a treaty which its critics suggest.

While Aquino was focused on justifying the EDCA, the Philippines irked China anew after the High Tribunal’s decision on the agreement, which the Chinese state claimed would only “escalate tensions and undermine peace and stability in the (Asia-Pacific) region.”

“It seems very peculiar that the Philippines, which stopped hosting two of the largest overseas US military bases in the early 1990s, invited the US troops home again, despite strong domestic criticism, at a time when the situation in the South China Sea has stabilized,” a commentary on the official Xinhua News Agency site said Wednesday afternoon.

“It is easy to deduce that Manila, which has long been involved in a dispute with Beijing over claims on some South China Sea islands, appears to be now turning to Uncle Sam to back its ambition to counter China,” it added.

The EDCA seeks to increase military presence in the Philippines through allowing entry of American forces at a rotational basis. It also sought to allow the Federal forces to make use of Philippine military bases, which some claimed would spell the return of US bases in the country.

In 1992, the Senate voted to eject foreign military bases in the country, as it poses danger of being targets of the enemies made by the United States.

http://www.tribune.net.ph/headlines/noy-bribed-by-washington-on-edca-lsf