'Philippines given access to US structures'

From the Philippine Star (Mar 14): 'Philippines given access to US structures'

The Philippines will be given access to structures to be set up by the United States (US) as part of a deal seeking to boost the security cooperation between the two countries, officials said Friday.

Eduardo Malaya, member of the Philippine negotiating panel on the enhanced defense cooperation, noted that the areas to be shared with the US are within the Philippine military’s bases.

“I think at this time, both panels have reached an agreement on languaging (sic) and we would be able to hammer down the specifics as to who would be securing what area,” Malaya said in a press conference in Camp Aguinaldo.

“But as a concept, access is assured, this being within Philippine military bases and also the right of the base commander to have access to specific area will be shared with them has already been agreed in principle by both panels,” he added.

Malaya, however, admitted that the access would be “subject to safety, operational safety and security requirements.”

“We are discussing some operational safety and security requirements with respect to the exercise of access by the base commander but please note this pertains to safety and security,” Malaya said.

The requirement, Malaya stressed, would not cover the exercise of police power by the Philippines over a US personnel suspected of breaking the law.

The access of Philippine authorities to US facilities has been a key issue in the negotiations, which is now in its final stages.

Last November, talks on a proposed deal on enhanced defense cooperation between Manila and Washington hit an impasse due to the failure of both sides to reach a consensus on American facilities to be set up in the country.

When asked whether the US can reject the representatives to be sent to the Philippines, Malaya said: “No, this is within a Philippine base. There are no extraterritorial features, there is no exclusivity feature. And Philippine law prevails there.”

The presence of US forces is a controversial issue in the Philippines, with activists claiming that a deal on increased rotational presence would violate the country’s sovereignty.

The Senate voted to close the US bases in the country in 1991 but a visiting forces agreement allowing joint exercises between Filipino and American soldiers was ratified eight years later.

Philippine officials have given assurances that a new deal on enhanced defense cooperation would comply with the constitution and existing laws.

http://www.philstar.com/headlines/2014/03/14/1300839/philippines-given-access-us-structures