‘Wrong, dangerous’ Edca will expand zones of war

The enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (Edca) between the Philippines and the United States will neither enhance nor defend the Filipinos’ aspiration to achieve a just and lasting peace in our country. On the contrary, it will lead to more intense local armed conflicts and endanger the lives of many innocent Filipinos by dragging our country into unnecessary geopolitical conflicts involving the United States and its “enemies.”

Edca allows US troops and their private contractors to establish greater presence and facilities, as well as to preposition weapons, warships, warplanes and other war equipment, in various so-called “agreed locations” across the country. It also requires the Philippine government to allow the entry of US troops, civilian personnel and defense contractors into public lands owned by local governments (e.g., roads, airfields, ports and even private property). Edca has grave implications to the country’s peace and order situation:

• US troops could directly or indirectly become involved in the ongoing local armed conflicts. This involvement would aggravate the militarization of rural communities and intensify armed hostilities. Hence, Edca undermines the efforts of peace advocates who are actively persuading the government and the National Democratic Front to resume the stalled peace talks and stay the course until a negotiated peace settlement is reached.

• The increased number of US troops strategically placed in various parts of the country opens up more opportunities for US intervention in our domestic affairs. US troops stationed here could even be used in the future to either destabilize the government or to subvert popular civilian movements challenging

government.

• The Philippines and its citizens are at risk since global terrorist networks and other hostile forces could target US troops and facilities in the country.

• The Philippines could be used by the United States as a launching pad to attack other nations including our neighbors, similar to what happened during the Vietnam War and the US attacks on Afghanistan and Iraq.

Edca is purportedly designed to improve the country’s maritime security in response to the escalating tension between the Philippines and China. But Edca is a wrong and dangerous initiative. Instead, we urge the government to focus on the legal case it filed in the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea to resolve the maritime disputes with China

peacefully.

Like other countries, the United States is most welcome to assist the Philippines during natural disasters but they can provide humanitarian aid without the need of sending their troops, warships and other military weapons.

We therefore conclude that Edca is anything but an instrument of peace and harmony. By further expanding the presence of US troops and prepositioning its war equipment, it will instantly convert large parts of the country

into zones of war.

—REV. HOMAR RUBERT R. DISTAJO

and SR. MAUREEN CATABIAN, RGS, spokespersons,

Pilgrims for Peace, [email protected]