Maritime expert stresses urgent need for US, PHL to fulfill EDCA commitments

From the Philippine News Agency (Jun 7): Maritime expert stresses urgent need for US, PHL to fulfill EDCA commitments

There is a urgent need for both the United States and the Philippines to fulfill their commitments under the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA).

This was stressed by Gregory B. Poling, Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative Center for Strategic and International Studies during Tuesday's forum.

The latter was titled "Asia-Pacific Perspectives on Implementing the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement” and it was held at the National Defense College of the Philippines, Camp Aguinaldo, Quezon City.

"I think it’s critical for both countries to commit that EDCA be fulfilled, Washington has a responsibility here too," Poling said.

This is very important considering that incoming President Rodrigo Duterte seemed legitimately skeptical of how the US is willing to go in its EDCA commitment.

"And if that’s his position then it makes sense for him to recognize our limits to the use of EDCA, that’s… leverage for the Chinese, but I think in Washington there is a very broad consensus in government that they will really go to… for the Philippines if China really uses force in the South China Sea. Clearly more work needs to be done by Washington to convince Duterte of that," Poling stressed.

The Supreme Court, voting 10-4-1, declared EDCA as constitutional last Jan. 12.

It also upheld the position of the government that the EDCA is an executive agreement and does not need the Senate concurrence.

This puts the Armed Forces of the Philippines in a better position to improve inter-operability with the US military aside from improving the AFP's capabilities.

Finalized after eight rounds of talks that began in August 2013, EDCA, which signed in 2014, allows US troops access to designated Philippine military facilities, the right to construct facilities, and pre-position equipment, aircraft and vessels, but rules out permanent basing.

http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=1&sid=&nid=1&rid=892697