Senator Imee Marcos has questioned the intention of the new sites under the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement or EDCA and why the country is relying on foreigners for its external defense.
During a senate inquiry, Marcos said that the role of EDCA is not for Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP)’s modernization but disaster preparedness, maritime security, and counterterrorism.
“With regards to the purpose of EDCA and modernization, it appears to us, to reiterate, that in fact modernization no longer appears to be the primary of EDCA but disaster preparedness, maritime security, and counterterrorism,” Marcos said.
“In really implementing those functions, we need to modernize, madam, considering all those,” Defense chief Carlito Galvez responded.
“Bakit parang nakalimutan na natin, parang aasa na lang ba tayo sa mga dayuhan na ipagtanggol tayo samantalang ang ating sandatahang lakas ay nanatiling bulok, luma, under armed and completely abject in the face of external threats?,” Marcos replied.
“The modernization effort of EDCA is to, basically, to really prepare to defend our country collectively with our allies,” Galvez responded.
Marcos however was dissatisfied with the replies of the official and ordered officials to submit to the senate the modernization aspect of EDCA.
“That’s a very general statement, I would appreciate it if you could submit in the future, in the near future, the modernization aspect of EDCA, which has not been clarified to any of us in this chamber,” Marcos said.
