AFP to continue planning for Edca

Armed Forces chief General Gregorio Catapang. INQUIRER.net FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines—With the Supreme Court on the course of deciding if the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement is legal or not, the top brass of the Armed Forces of the Philippines said that they would continue to plan for it.

General Gregorio Pio Catapang, AFP Chief of Staff, said that they would not stop their planning for possible projects that would be conducted if the Supreme Court proves that Edca is constitutional.

“It’s important that we continue our planning for Edca, if in case the High Court decides that it is legal, if it gives the ‘go’ signal, we can execute immediately,” Catapang said at Camp Aguinaldo.

Edca has not been implemented as two former senators and militant groups filed petitions to the Supreme Court to deem it unconstitutional.

Former senators Rene Saguisag and Wigberto Tañada, who fought for the removal of all American bases in the Philippines 24 years ago, filed on May this year a protest on the Supreme Court challenging the legality of the agreement.

On April, United States Ambassador to the Philippines Philip Goldberg and Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin signed the agreement hours before United States President Barack Obama arrived in the country.

Catapang said it is important for them that the Edca be implemented as the United States can help on humanitarian missions in the Philippines.

“They can reposition their humanitarian equipment in areas where they would be allowed to use,” Catapang said.

Edca would allow the American troops to use Filipino bases for military and humanitarian exercises.

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