MANILA (Mindanao Examiner / Mar. 18, 2014) – Manila has guaranteed that a new defense cooperation between the Philippines and the United States is consistent with the country’s Constitution and laws.
Both countries are currently negotiating a new treaty that would allow more access to US military forces in the country and raising new threats of attacks from communist rebels who are waging a secessionist war for decades now.
The treaty is expected to be completed soon, according to a Philippine government spokesman Herminio Coloma.
“The proposed agreement will allow the sharing of defined areas within certain AFP (Armed Forces of the Philippines) facilities with elements of the US military on a rotational basis within parameters consistent with the Philippine Constitution and laws. This fresh round (of talks) has clearly shown the shared commitment of both parties to enhance cooperation in defense, security and related fields, including humanitarian assistance and disaster response,” Coloma said.
“At the instance of the Philippine panel, the United States panel agreed to the inclusion of provisions on environment and safety, and opportunities for potential Philippine suppliers of goods, products and services,” he added.
Coloma said the aspects of humanitarian assistance and disaster response in this agreement are significant given the country’s experiences following the onslaught of super typhoon Haiyan last year.
“Mahalaga po ‘yung aspeto ng humanitarian assistance and disaster response. Nakita po natin ito noong tayo ay tinamaan ng super typhoon ‘Yolanda’ at naging hayag po ang suporta ng Estados Unidos sa pamamagitan ng pagpapadala ng mga modernong kagamitan na malaki ang naiambag sa pagtugon sa emergency situation,” he said.
Quoting Defense Undersecretary Pio Batino, who heads the Philippines’ negotiating panel, Coloma said the agreement remains “guided by the principles of full respect for Philippine sovereignty, non-permanence of US troops, and no US basing in the Philippines, mutuality of benefits and respect for the Philippine Constitution, including the prohibition against nuclear weapons.”
Senator Miriam Santiago, who heads the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, said the deal has to be approved first by the Senate first because “it cannot be classified as an executive agreement, but as a treaty to which the Philippine Senate must give its concurrence.”
Coloma said it is appropriate that she and other critics of the agreement wait for the completion of the deal first to have a better grasp of all the issues at hand.
“Ang aking panukala ay hintayin na lamang natin na maging pinal at matapos nang ganap (ang pag-uusap) dahil ongoing pa naman, hindi pa naman po completed, at hindi pa finalized. Hintayin po natin ang magiging final and complete form nitong kasunduang ito para po masuri ang mga isyung tinatalakay sa kasalukuyan,” he said.
President Barack Obama is expected tovisit the Philippines in April.
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