Bayan Muna calls AEDC with US worse than 1991 treaty, eyes case in int’l body

Bayan Muna Representative Neri Colmenares . INQUIRER.net FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines — Bayan Muna plans to take its fight against the return of American bases to the Philippines to the international court amid reports that a new agreement will be signed on Monday (Apr. 28) before US President Barack Obama’s arrival.

“We will get the support of international lawyers to file a case against the US and President Aquino for crimes against humanity committed as a result of this new basing agreement,” said Bayan Muna Rep. Neri Colmenares in a statement.

Colmenares revealed that Philippine and US authorities met on Sunday (Apr. 27) for last-minute changes to the new Agreement on Enhanced Defense Cooperation (AEDC), which would be the highlight of Obama’s two-day state visit.

Colmenares said the move to bring the case in an international body would be on top of Bayan Muna’s plan to file a case with the Supreme Court declaring the AEDC unconstitutional.

Colmenares questioned the “undue haste” in signing the AEDC.

“This will practically bring back US military bases in the Philippines without a treaty, without rent and without limits as the American may use all Philippine military facilities – an arrangement worse than the Bases Treaty rejected by the Philippine Senate in September 1991,” said Colmenares.

Bayan Muna Rep. Carlos Zarate said that no amount of safeguards against permanent basing or entry of nuclear weapons would be enough to appease concerns that the US would abuse the AEDC. “We all know that these can be circumvented because in reality, the US government is the one calling the shots and not the Aquino administration,” said Zarate.

Colmenares warned that the Philippine could be held accountable under international law should the US use its military facilities here as a base to attack other countries.

“The US is also expanding its bases in Japan.  During the International Alliance of Democratic Lawyers congress last week, it was made clear by many legal luminaries attending the Congress that the crime of aggression does not only attach to the US but also the country that allows the use of its territory to attack other countries.  While we condemn China’s aggressive acts in the West Philippine Sea, we will not tolerate aggressive acts of the US, which will subject the Filipino people to retaliatory attacks by the many enemies of the US,” said  Colmenares.