Defense chief favors review of EDCA
Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana favors a review of Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA) that was signed by Philippines and United States in 2014 and was upheld by the Supreme Court in January 2016.
“Revisiting EDCA, no problem there, no problem there. Because if we revisit that we will also involved other people other cabinet, other department to look into this,” Lorenzana told reporters on Friday.
“Because when the EDCA was made, I was not part of the people who plan for the EDCA so maybe I also have to (check) it myself,” Lorenzana added.
Lorenzana said EDCA began implementation this year but building the facilities for use by the US military in the designated basis may start next year.
“It also takes the US a couple of years to plan for that, to endorse it to Congress to allocate the funds. Maybe the first construction may start by 2017 if EDCA is not scrapped,” Lorenzana said.
President Rodrigo Duterte has sought a review of the agreement that allow American access to military camps in the country.
Lorenzana said among the camps covererd by the agreement are Fort Magsaysay in Nueva Ecija, Antonio Bautista Air Base in Palawan, Basa Air Base in Pampanga, Lumbia Air Base in Cagayan de Oro and Mactan-Benito Ebuen Air Base in Cebu. Robina Asido/DMS
