Group lauds Duterte on junking Edca

MILITANT group Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan) commended President Rodrigo Duterte on Tuesday, October 25, for "seeing things clearly" in his plan to junk the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (Edca).

"Maayo kaayo na nga balita, nagpasalamat mi ana kang Digong kay naklaro na gayud niya ang tinuod na hulagway sa soberenya sa nasod, nakita niya unsa pagpahimulos sa US, dako ni nga achievement sa iyang pagka-Presidente," Barros, Bayan spokesperson for Northern Mindanao Wildon, said.

"Kung atong isumada, gikan 1898, human pagassume sa US sa Pilipinas, wala man ma industrialize ang Pilipinas sa ilang kamot tawon, nagpabilin man kita nga import-dependent, export-oriented. Buot pasabot, dili paman lambo ang ekonomiya ang sa nasud, gani agricultural paman gihapon kita," Barros said.

Duterte, in a statement on Tuesday, has threatened anew to scrap Edca.

"We have the Edca? Well, forget it. If I stay here long enough, one day, that Edca will – if it’s an executive agreement, then I will have…,” Duterte said, ending his statement by sweeping his hands, indicating the possibility to cancel the agreement.

Edca was signed by the Philippines and the United States (US) in 2014 to bolster defense and security cooperation between the two countries.

The President had already ordered his legal team to scrutinize thoroughly the Edca upon learning that it does not bear the signature of his predecessor, former President Benigno Aquino III.

Duterte had warned the US that he would repeal the joint agreement if the finding of the legal team shows that Edca is deemed ineffective because of Aquino's failure to sign it.

Prior to his warning, Duterte took an apparent swipe at US Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs Daniel Russel for criticizing his rhetoric and deadly war on drugs.(With Sunnex/PJO)