President
Benigno S. Aquino III has expressed confidence that the Enhanced Defense
Cooperation Agreement (EDCA) between the Philippines and the United States
could withstand judicial scrutiny, as the Supreme Court began its oral
arguments on the matter.
The EDCA is a 10-year military agreement signed by Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin and US Ambassador to the Philippines Philip Goldberg back in April 28 when US President Barack Obama made a state visit to the country.
It was meant to bolster the security relationship between the Philippines and the US by allowing the American military to station troops and conduct operations in the country without establishing a permanent base.
President Aquino reiterated that the EDCA is there to “refine” previous accords between the Philippines and the US, such as the Mutual Defense Treaty and the Visiting Forces Agreement.
President Aquino also mentioned that he was able to speak with two of the petitioners against EDCA, whose names he did not disclose, and they were able to arrive at a common understanding upon clarification of each other’s position on the matter.
“Mga kakampi natin sila at seemingly, para bang nagkaiba ang posisyon namin. Nagkausap kami. Ang sarap na pareho pa rin ‘yung pananaw. At sabi nila, medyo… sana nagkausap tayo bago nasubo rito. Kailangang ituloy na lang namin ito,” he said. (PCOO News Release)
The EDCA is a 10-year military agreement signed by Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin and US Ambassador to the Philippines Philip Goldberg back in April 28 when US President Barack Obama made a state visit to the country.
It was meant to bolster the security relationship between the Philippines and the US by allowing the American military to station troops and conduct operations in the country without establishing a permanent base.
President Aquino reiterated that the EDCA is there to “refine” previous accords between the Philippines and the US, such as the Mutual Defense Treaty and the Visiting Forces Agreement.
President Aquino also mentioned that he was able to speak with two of the petitioners against EDCA, whose names he did not disclose, and they were able to arrive at a common understanding upon clarification of each other’s position on the matter.
“Mga kakampi natin sila at seemingly, para bang nagkaiba ang posisyon namin. Nagkausap kami. Ang sarap na pareho pa rin ‘yung pananaw. At sabi nila, medyo… sana nagkausap tayo bago nasubo rito. Kailangang ituloy na lang namin ito,” he said. (PCOO News Release)
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