EDCA to beef up PHL coastal surveillance, military modernization efforts

From the Philippine News Agency (Jul 28): EDCA to beef up PHL coastal surveillance, military modernization efforts

The US-Philippine Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA) will help the country develop its coastal surveillance system and ongoing military modernization efforts.

These are some of the benefits the Armed Forces of the Philippines can get from the EDCA, declared constitutional with finality by the Supreme Court (SC) last Tuesday.

"EDCA can help us develop our coastal surveillance system (giving us the capability to detect and go after illegal fishers and poachers) and it could also help the AFP in its ongoing modernization efforts, further boosting our security," AFP spokesperson Brig. Gen. Restituto Padilla said.

This is aside from the humanitarian assistance and disaster relief assistance and training American forces will give to their Filipino counterparts, he added.

EDCA also puts the AFP in a better position to improve inter-operability with the US military.

The SC made the ruling after petitioners against the EDCA fail to produce new and valid agreements against the agreement.

In its Jan. 12, 2016 decision, the SC recognized the authority of the President to enter into an executive agreement involving foreign military bases pursuant to Article 18, Section 25 of the 1987 Constitution.

Under the 1987 Constitution, the President is allowed to enter into an executive agreement involving foreign military bases if the agreement is just the implementation of the existing law or treaty.

Finalized after eight rounds of talks that began in August 2013, EDCA, which was signed in April 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=908038