PILAR, Bataan – President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. on Monday maintained that the 4 further websites beneath the nation’s Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA) with the US wouldn’t be used for offensive actions.
“Ang reaksyon ng China ay di naman siguro kataka-taka pero hindi… naman tayo papayag na gamitin ang mga bases natin sa kahit anong offensive na action,” Marcos informed reporters when requested to touch upon China’s concern that the most recent EDCA websites would provoke stress within the area.
Marcos reiterated that every one the 4 further EDCA websites are “existing bases.”
“These are existing bases. Unang-una, these are existing bases… lahat ito existing na ‘yan, mayroon na tayong kampo diyan na dati pa,” he mentioned.
The new EDCA websites would be the Naval Base Camilo Osias in Sta Ana, Cagayan; Lal-lo Airport in Lal-lo, Cagayan; Camp Melchor Dela Cruz in Gamu, Isabela; and Balabac Island in Palawan.
The 5 present EDCA places are Antonio Bautista Air Base in Palawan, Basa Air Base in Pampanga, Fort Magsaysay in Nueva Ecija, Mactan-Benito Ebuen Air Base in Cebu, and Lumbia Air Base in Cagayan de Oro City.
According to Mao Ning, the spokesperson for China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, mentioned the extra EDCA websites “may draw their [Philippines] into the whirlpool of a potential conflict in the Taiwan Strait.”
Signed in 2014, EDCA grants US troops entry to designated Philippine army services, permits them to construct services, and pre-position tools, plane and vessels. Permanent basing is prohibited. —KBK, GMA Integrated News
Source: www.gmanetwork.com
