The Philippines is not a launch pad for war! US out of the Philippines!

The Philippines is not a launch pad for war! US out of the Philippines!

On April 3rd, the US Department of Defense announced the expansion of the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA) with the opening of four new US military sites. These sites give access to existing military bases, effectively deepening the hold of US military and political interests on Philippine soil.

Signed in 2014, EDCA allows the US to build and operate shared facilities, rotate troops on an extended basis, and engage in joint military training with the Philippine army. EDCA supplements the Visiting Forces Agreement, which outlines the powers held by the temporarily stationed US troops

Although the US government claims that the Philippines retains sovereignty and control over EDCA locations, the reality is that the US military enjoys barely restricted power over these bases.

The addition of four new EDCA (Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement) sites, which will bring thousands of US troops to the Philippines, will lead to an increase in crimes committed against Filipinos by US soldiers who are on rest and recreation (R&R) or participating in joint military exercises. This is because, historically, there have been numerous reported cases of US soldiers committing crimes against Filipinos while on R&R, including cases of murder, rape, and other violent crimes.

The example of Lance Corporal Joseph Scott Pemberton, who killed Jennifer Laude in 2014, is cited as an example of the kind of crimes that could happen under the new EDCA arrangement. Pemberton was eventually pardoned by the Philippine government and sent back to the US, avoiding serving time for his crime. This case was the second reported criminal case involving a US soldier under the Visiting Forces Agreement and the first since the EDCA was signed.

This implies that the presence of large numbers of US troops in the Philippines, combined with a history of crimes committed by US soldiers against Filipinos,could lead to an increase in the number of crimes committed against Filipinos with little accountability or legal recourse.

(BAYAN Canada Facebook)