EDCA: Undermining our democracy and security
BEFORE the headline topic, we strongly endorse Pope Francis’ call for Ukraine to negotiate peace with Russia, which Western officials also reportedly urged on Kyiv in January. The Holy Father should not have used the phrase “white flag,” connoting surrender, but his point of ending the war is imperative.
With nil hope of winning and after colossal devastation across Ukraine, displacement of many millions, well over 300,000 deaths and loss of vast territory, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy should now reverse his mistake in heeding the United States and Britain and nixing his March 2022 deal with Vladimir Putin for full Russian withdrawal in exchange for Ukraine neutrality.
Instead of ending the weeks-old conflict two years ago with his nation and army largely unscathed, Zelenskyy kept fighting with arms and aid from the US-led North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), aiming to expel the invaders and, said American Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, “weaken Russia.”
The opposite happened — Russia got stronger militarily and economically — and NATO support has weakened due to political, financial and logistical problems. Now, President Zelenskyy seems set to wind down hostilities with his recent order sending home conscripts needed by his crumbling army. Washington may also be shifting with the exit of the deputy secretary of state, Victoria Nuland, reputed architect of its failed Ukraine policy.
Bottom line: Pope Francis got it right on March 25, 2022: consecrating Russia and Ukraine to the Immaculate Heart of Mary on the Solemnity of the Annunciation, joined by thousands of bishops worldwide. But when those prayers got a peace deal, NATO blocked it to keep hammering Moscow. Now, with the West’s scheme failing, may negotiations finally end the Ukraine conflict and diminish the very real threat of a wider, possibly nuclear war.
Subverting the Filipino will
Turning to the headline topic, just like arming Ukraine to keep fighting Russia instead of forging peace, heaven surely does not favor US moves to weaponize the Philippines against China, which could again drag a devoutly Christian nation like Ukraine into a deathly, disastrous superpower clash.
Besides the Divine, two other d’s deserve deliberation: democracy and defense. In assessing these aspects, we address fundamental questions for each.
On how the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA), which boosts military linkages with America, affects our democracy and sovereignty, three key questions:
Does it advance the sovereign will of the Filipino people? Is there ample consultation and full information on EDCA matters for Filipinos, especially directly affected communities? And is our sovereignty given due respect and prerogative in EDCA operations?
Regarding defense and security, we should ask and analyze:
How would EDCA affect our top defense priorities? Does it increase or reduce overall security risks, including possible war and even nuclear attack? And will the agreement help enhance the capabilities of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP)?
We address democracy issues in this article, with defense covered in future columns.
Those who read the March 10 article in this EDCA series ahead of its April 27 expiry or renewal may well see one way democracy lost out in implementing the accord: It goes against policies and positions espoused by our duly elected President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and presumably favored by most of the nearly 32 million Filipinos who elected him.
Indeed, the policies of neutrality and harmony with all countries already enjoyed the nation’s favor in the six years prior under Marcos’ predecessor Rodrigo Duterte, who left office with an unprecedented 81 percent approval rating. Marcos’ perceived continuation of Duterte policies was probably the biggest boost to his candidacy, affirmed by having Sara Duterte as his running mate.
As reported in the March 10 story (“EDCA: Weaponizing our country against China,” https://tinyurl. com/663vbr2s), candidate Marcos even graced National Day celebrations at the Chinese Embassy in October 2022 and continued mouthing neutrality as president and even keeping Washington out of our Beijing disputes “because you (US) are a party in interest.”
One is reminded of Ukraine President Zelenskyy, who won the 2019 polls with 73 percent of the vote, promising peace with Russia. But like Marcos, Zelenskyy embraced the US, prompting the rival behemoth next door to get nasty. Russia eventually invaded when Ukraine sought NATO membership (Warning: Marcos may be walking Ukraine’s path,” https://tinyurl.com/59k6z4c8).
Marcos’ misgivings about EDCA also included its constitutionality, which he and 14 other senators unsuccessfully challenged in the Su