SC orals: Bases deal ‘repackaged’ thru EDCA

From the Daily Tribune (Nov 19): SC orals: Bases deal ‘repackaged’ thru EDCA

Critics of American military presence in the country took turns before the Supreme Court (SC) yesterday to assail the implementation of the Philippine-US Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA) which they said will lead to the return of permanent US military bases in the country.

Petitioners during yesterday’s oral arguments on the cases seeking the nullification of the Edca which was signed by Philippine and US officials last April 28 said the agreement paves the way for the return of permanent presence of American troops.

Former UP Law dean Pacifico Agabin, also a counsel for the petitioners, said the Military Bases Agreement of 1947 “is being repackaged, embroidered and gift wrapped” in the form of EDCA.

Former Sen. Rene Saguisag, one of the petitioners, argued the agreement would allow the presence of US troops in the country that could last for decades.

Saguisag was part of the so-called Magnificent 12 in the Senate who voted in 1991 to terminate the RP-US military bases agreement despite then President Corazon Aquino’s support for the signing of a new treaty.

Saguisag insisted that EDCA is an international agreement that warrants the concurrence by the Senate under Section 21 of Article VII of the Constitution.

The said provision states: “No treaty or international agreement shall be valied and effective unless concurred in by at least two-thirds of all the members of the Senate.”

It added that Section 25 of Article XVIII also states that “foreign troops or facilities shall not be allowed in the Philippines except under a treaty duly concurred in by the Senate.”

“It’s not up to President or Defense Secretary to decide on something that has intergenerational consequences,” Saguisag said.

“We remain convinced we voted on the right side of history. I am here in that continuum, that our 1991 collegial vote not be nullified by one man, no matter how much I like him and wish for him to succeed,” Saguisag said in apparent reference to President Aquino.
 http://www.tribune.net.ph/headlines/sc-orals-bases-deal-repackaged-thru-edca