Senate President Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III on Wednesday dispelled fears that President Rodrigo Duterte would stop honoring the Enhance Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA).
Pimentel, ally and party-mate of the President, came to his (Duterte) defense after the latter vowed to review the two-year-old defense deal that allows the US to put up military bases in the Philippines.
The President said that while the agreement is an official document, it did not contain the signature of his predecessor former President Benigno S. Aquino III but only by then Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin.
Pimentel noted the EDCA is a formal agreement that could only be terminated through a procedure that has not even started yet.
“EDCA is a formal agreement and the way to terminate the formal agreement is (already) found in the agreement. Let’s follow the procedures,” he said.
Pimentel explained there will first have to be a notice that will come from the Executive Branch, the Departments of Foreign Affairs and National Defense (DFA, DND) and effectivity of the notice of termination will come years or months after the notice.
He said because there were such procedures, it would take some time before any halt in the agreement would take place.
“The first step has not yet kicked in so there’s nothing to talk about,” Pimentel said.
He also explained that there was no need to consult the Senate on the matter because it has already ratified and approved the EDCA.
The Senate President also expressed hope that President Duterte will put the matter in the agenda so he could get their opinions but noted that it is still him who forms the decision as head of the Executive branch.
Despite concerns that the President’s latest remark could dampen Philippine and US ties, Pimentel assured that ties would remain strong.
“Countries are not that shallow,” he said.
http://www.update.ph/2016/10/pimentel-dispels-fears-on-threat-to-stop-edca/10041
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