Senate ready to hold hearings on EDCA

Senator Antonio Trillanes IV. INQUIRER.net FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines—The head of the Senate  committee on defense has expressed readiness to immediately conduct  a hearing on the recently  signed  Enhanced Defense Cooperation  Agreement (EDCA) signed between the United States and the  Philippines  amid questions being  raised  against it.

“Personally, I am satisfied with what was forged but if a senator will feel otherwise and they would file resolutions to that effect, I will hear it definitely,” Senator Antonio “Sonny’ Trillanes IV, chairman of the committee, said during a weekly forum on Wednesday.

Senate President Franklin Drilon, in a statement, said he expects the appropriate committee in the Senate to hold a hearing on EDCA.

“Inevitably, there will be questions to which responses will require an executive session as it will touch on matters pertaining to national security,” Drilon said.

“However, I emphasize that whether or not an executive session would be conducted will depend upon the chairperson and the committee members who will conduct the hearing,” he said.

Trillanes dismissed insinuations that EDCA was negotiated in hush-hush, noting that the committee was even invited to an “extensive briefing” sometime in August last year by government panel negotiating the agreement.

He even recalled Senators Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III and Juan Edgardo Angara and another senator attending the briefing.

“Nobody can claim that this negotiation lacked any transparency. Now, on the assumption that a particular senator would feel that his information is inadequate, then they can request for an individual briefing on   their own available time,” said Trillanes.

Both Drilon and Trillanes welcomed any move to bring the issue before the Supreme Court.

“It would be wise to bring up to the Supreme Court the debate on the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement, for it is only the high court that can resolve with finality if the EDCA is a treaty that requires the concurrence of the Senate, or an executive agreement which the executive has the power under the Constitution to execute and implement,” said the Senate leader.

A former executive and justice secretary, Drilon acknowledged the concerns raised against the agreement as “legitimate and valid.”

He then urged its critics to bring the issue before Supreme Court, which he said has the power to determine if the agreement must be first ratified as a treaty in Senate before it can be implemented.

“I urge everyone who opposed EDCA to go the Supreme Court, which is the only body that could finally decide whether this is a treaty which would require ratification by the Senate, or an executive agreement which will be implemented by a mere signature of the executive branch,” he said, adding that the SC is the “ultimate arbiter” in this issue.

Trillanes echoed Drilon’s statement that the matter would be better resolved by the high tribunal.

“Nobody is stopping anybody from raising this to the Supreme Court. Hayaan nating mag-decide ang Supreme Court (Let the Supreme Court decide) whether this is a treaty or this is an executive agreement or kung may provisions na unconstitutional (or if there are provisions that are unconstitutional),” he said.

RELATED STORIES

What is the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement and what does it mean for PH?

No mention of China at signing of defense deal

Obama: Allies never stand alone