News Release

May 4, 2014
References: Bayan Muna Rep. Neri Colmenares, 09178!04!9
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Says it is the worst agreement between the US and the Philippines
Bayan Muna Rep. Neri Colmenares hit the Aquino administration for continuously misleading the
Filipino people on the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA !hich the progressi"e group
!ill question at the #upreme Court.
$EDCA allo!s unli%access& unli%'ases& unli%troops& unli%acti"ities& unli%time and e"en more 'ecause many
of its pro"isions are "ague and open%ended. #imply put& this is the !orst (#%)hilippine agreement in
history and it is far !orse than the Military Bases Agreement (MBA and the *isiting Forces Agreement.
Kumbaga, sa EDCA ay nag-le"el up talaga ang (# at Aquino administration sa pagyurak sa soberanya
ng Pilipinas&+ said the senior deputy minority leader.
Rep. Colmenares cited for e,ample Article -. )aragraph / of EDCA itself !hich states0
$)ar. / could ha"e deleted the phrase pertaining to the -1%year term 'y stating that EDCA shall $continue
in force unless terminated+ and it !ould not ha"e affected the duration of EDCA. 2he Aquino
go"ernment& ho!e"er& inserted the $-1%year+ term& !ith the aim of deluding the people that the (# 'asing
is temporary at a ma,imum of ten years. 3n fact& they could ha"e stated -11 years and it !ould not ha"e
mattered 'ecause the EDCA !ill only end if it is $terminated 'y either party+ and not 'ecause its term has
e,pired&+ the progressi"e solon said.
$2he EDCA is a continuing agreement& and this is the pro'lem. Because it does not ha"e a term& there is
no mandatory requirement for its re"ie! !ithin a certain period 'efore it e,pires& nor does it require
renegotiation upon the e,piry. 2he purpose of the (# and the Aquino go"ernment for the continuing
nature of EDCA is to a"oid the contro"ersy and the people4s outrage e"ery time EDCA e,pires and has to
'e rene!ed. )res. Aquino learned a lesson !hen the (# R) Military 'ases agreement& !hich has a term
and a real e,piry period& !as not rene!ed 'y the #enate due to the outrage of the Filipino people. 2he ten
year period !ill come and go and& the )hilippines and the (# hope& the Filipino people !ill not e"en
notice&+ he added.
2he progressi"e solon also cited Article / !hich is titled E5(3)MEN2& #())63E# AND MA2ER3E6
2he first sentence is 7ust a motherhood statement that can 'e done !ithout the EDCA& 'ut it is the second
sentence that is the main purpose of )ar. .8that the (# can store !eapons& ammunition and other !ar
materiel and equipment in the agreed locations on the ground that it is intended to $enhance+ its defense
capa'ility. Notice that the EDCA does not prohi'it the use of these prepositioned armaments in co"ert or
o"ert military operations in the )hilippines or a'road.
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2his 'ecomes clearer in the ne,t paragraph !here the (# demands that the )hilippines !ill ha"e no say at
all on !hat these prepositioned armaments shall 'e or !here and ho! they !ill 'e deployed& to !it0
$3t is note!orthy& that the (# retained $control o"er the access and disposition+ of these materiel and the
Filipinos could not access these highly sensiti"e and classified $prepositioned materiel+. 9e cannot e"en
monitor if they ha"e chemical or nuclear !eapons in these storage depots&+ he added
$Also )ar. / !hich requires that access to the agreed locations 'y (# forces and contractors shall 'e
$unimpeded+ practically prohi'its inspection or chec:points for the deli"ery of these materiel. 2his
demand 'y the (# of unimpeded access is 'ut logical as they !ill not !ant their supplies inspected or
monitored since they consider this a security 'reach. 3n fact& the (# may e"en ship in a person su'7ect of
rendition into the country for interrogation !ithout the )hilippines e"er finding out 'ecause of the
required $unimpeded access+. 3n fact& they can smuggle goods !ithout the Customs or the B3R :no!ing
anything&+ stressed Rep. Colmenares.
2he senior deputy minority leader added that 'ased on Article ; paragraph . of EDCA0
$Firstly& the (# forces are gi"en access to (i pu'lic lands and facilities of the national go"ernment< (ii
pu'lic lands and facilities of the 6=(s< and (iii >2?ER 6AND# AND FAC36323E# !hich definitely
include those o!ned 'y pri"ate indi"iduals. 2his paragraph grants access to practically any land& road&
airport or port in the entire country& !hether rural areas& ur'an areas& forest or plane including pri"ate
property&+ he said
$2he pro'lem !ith this is not only !ith regards the fact that it allo!s access to the entire country& 'ut also
to the fact that Filipinos cannot say $no+ to a request for access 'y the (# forces. (nder )ar. .& Filipinos
$shall+ (not $may+ facilitate access 'y (# forces upon their mere $request+ of any land& road& port or
airport& including those intended for commercial or pri"ate use. 2his sho!s the docility of the !ea:ling
)hilippine negotiators !ho allo!ed such a humiliating pro"ision in the EDCA&+ added Rep. Colmenares.
$#econdly& the 6=( and the local communities are forced 'y the Aquino administration& !ithout e"en the
courtesy of consulting them& to allo! troops and dangerous items such as !eapons& chemical supplies and
ammunition through their lands& roads and ports. 2hese 6=(s cannot e"en issue a local ordinance or
resolution disallo!ing such access& 'ecause of the mandatory nature of the EDCA pro"ision under )ar.
.&+ said the progressi"e solon
Rep. Colmenares issued the statement as media sources said that )resident Aquino insisted on )hilippine
appro"al of all (# military acti"ities and the hard!are that the Americans !ould 'ring into the country
and designating the Mutual Defense Board (MDB and the #ecurity Engagement Board (#EB as the
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appro"ing 'odies. 2he (# has no! requested fi"e areas for them to gain access among them are Clar:&
#u'ic& )oro )oint& 6a (nion and Camp Aguinaldo.
Also Am'assador to Malaysia @. Eduardo Malaya& a mem'er of the )hilippine negotiating panel&
defended the agreement& saying $it !as not a sellout.+Adding that the (nited #tates !anted to ha"e a
longer time frame for the agreement& $understanda'ly for their R>3 (return of in"estment& 'ut the
)hilippines insisted on a -1%year duration 'ecause it !as more managea'le and more accepta'le to the
pu'lic.+
$2hese are 7ust some of the pro"isions of the EDCA that are questiona'le and !e !ill lay them all out at
the #upreme Court. 3t is o'"ious that !ith a proper reading of the te,t of the EDCA& all the duplicity of
the (# and the Aquino administration on the deal can 'e e,posed. As it is this is indeed the !orst
agreement 3 ha"e e"er seen and highlights the unequal relation 'et!een our country and the (#&+ ended
Rep. Colmenares. AAA
)or more informa0ion, please con0ac0:
C"R* "*"
B"#"N M$N" Me1ia .fficer
0917!1104!9
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