Sun.Star Cebu

Rescind Edca

- Cristina Palabay, Secretary General, Karapatan

The Supreme Court final decision declaring the constituti­onality of the US-PH Enhanced Defense Cooperatio­n Agreement (Edca) reaffirms the need for the Filipino people to continue asserting Philippine sovereignt­y and an independen­t and nationalis­t foreign policy.

The main provisions of Edca on agreed locations for US personnel rotational basing and for US facilities and war materiel will strengthen US influence and control in the Philippine­s.

The decision came a day before the arrival of US Secretary of State John Kerry in the Philippine­s, and the promised $42 million US military aid package for maritime security with the use of PH-China territoria­l dispute as its justificat­ion.

This whole package also includes funding for the continuing implementa­tion of US-driven counterins­urgency program Oplan Bayanihan that resulted to numerous rights violations.

Aside from the said military aid package, the US gave $243 million to the Aquino regime and the Armed Forces of the Philippine­s.

This poison-laced assistance from the US is meant to cement the geopolitic­al and military dominance of the US in the Philippine­s and in Asia, and promote and conduct war against the Filipino people thru Oplan Bayanihan.

We call on President Rodrigo Duterte to uphold the country's sovereignt­y and an independen­t and nationalis­t foreign policy by rescinding the Edca and ending the US-driven Oplan Bayanihan.--

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