Just when
President Benigno Aquino III said the Philippines
and the US were close to
concluding a military deal that would increase the presence of American troops
in the Philippines ,
Rappler learned there was a shake up in the Philippine panel. (READ: PH, US 'close' to signing military deal)
Department of
Foreign Affairs assistant secretary Carlos Soreta has left the Philippine
panel, the government confirmed.
"It's part
of the rotation scheme of the officers of the Department of Foreign Affairs. He
is now the head of the Foreign Service Institute," foreign affairs
spokesperson Raul Hernandez told Rappler in a text message on Monday, February
10.
Soreta no longer
participated in the 5th round of talks held in Washington DC
on January 30. The DFA was represented there by Ambassador to Malaysia Eduardo
Malaya and Ambassador to Vienna Lourdes Yparraguirre, Rappler also learned.
Asked if there
are problems with the negotiations with the US , Hernandez no longer replied.
When the talks
began in August 2013, initial press releases introduced Soreta as the chairman
of the Philippine panel. This was amended in succeeding announcements to show
that Defense Undersecretary Pio Lorenzo Batino is panel chairman.
It is, after all,
a military-to-military agreement intended to allow increased rotational
presence of American troops in the Philippines and give them more
access to our military bases.
The panel has
always been tightlipped about the details, but they gave assurances the
agreement would abide by the Constitution. The panel also maintains that it
doesn't need ratification by the Senate, like other agreements with other
countries.
"The
agreement will just be an implementing document for the Mutual Defense Treaty
and Visiting Forces Agreement," Batino said in a recent interview. (READ: Enrile: US access to PH bases may violate law)
Impasse
last year
The talks reached
an impasse after Round 4 of talks in October 2013. The Philippine panel allowed
the US to construct "temporary" facilities in the
Philippines but the US panel sought to limit the access of the Philippines to
these facilities. Batino talked about the "substantial work" that
still needed to be done.
"It is very
opportune that there will be more time to study these things....There would be
substantial work to be done internally by the Philippine panel to study and
review possibilities on the remaining issues." (Bases access: PH, US disagree on 'critical provisions')
"Personally
I would have to conduct substantial study and examination of issues,"
Batino added then. (Watch the video here.)
Informal talks
were held in December 2013 before Round 5 in January. Defense Secretary
Voltaire Gazmin vowed we would insist on equal access. (READ: PH to press 'equal access' to US facilities in bases deal)
Round 6 will be
held in March.
Panel
chair remains optimistic
Despite the shake
up, the President told the New York Times in a February 4 interview
that the military-to-military agreement is nearing completion.
Batino is
optimistic. "We’re hopeful. We're hopeful that both parties will be able
to come into agreement at the soonest possible time," he told Rappler on
the sidelines of a recent Senate hearing.
Here’s a verbatim
transcript of an ambush interview with Batino following Aquino's New York
Times interview.
Q: The
President said you are close to a deal?
Batino: We see great prospect in the finalization of negotiations in the near future.
Batino: We see great prospect in the finalization of negotiations in the near future.
Q: Near
future? What is the timeline?
Batino: It’s a negotiation and therefore one party does not control.
Batino: It’s a negotiation and therefore one party does not control.
Q: The
next round of talks will happen in March. Are we going to expect possible
signing then?
Batino: We’re hopeful. We're hopeful that both parties will be able to come into agreement at the soonest possible time.
Batino: We’re hopeful. We're hopeful that both parties will be able to come into agreement at the soonest possible time.
Q: What
is the status of talks on the equal access to facilities?
Batino: With respect to certain items also in consideration, we cannot divulge anything yet.
Batino: With respect to certain items also in consideration, we cannot divulge anything yet.
Q: The
defense secretary said the Philippines
will insist on equal access.
Batino: Yes. Just like that we promised that the agreement will be consistent with the fundamental principles of sovereignty.
Batino: Yes. Just like that we promised that the agreement will be consistent with the fundamental principles of sovereignty.
Q: This deal will not need Senate
approval?
Batino: The agreement will just be an implementing document for the Mutual Defense Treaty and Visiting Forces Agreement.
Batino: The agreement will just be an implementing document for the Mutual Defense Treaty and Visiting Forces Agreement.
The US used to have bases in the Philippines
that allowed the presence of tens of thousands of US troops here. But the
Senate voted in 1991 to end their contracts. They were able to return in 1999,
following the approval of the Visiting Forces Agreement, which allows the
temporary presence of US troops in the country.
It is against the
backdrop of growing maritime disputes that the Philippines is now asking for the
increased presence of US troops here. It also coincides with the so-called US
pivot to Asia .
http://www.rappler.com/nation/50170-problems-philippines-us-bases-deal
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