National security frameworks, treaty boundaries, and constitutional prohibitions governing foreign military presence face heightened public scrutiny amid growing geopolitical tensions and discussions over regional defense posture.
DEFENSE Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. on Friday said the United States is not allowed to use Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA) sites in the Philippines to launch offensive military operations in case hostilities break out in Taiwan.
“Those are merely logistics sites,” Teodoro told a radio interview, referring to the nine EDCA sites, two of which are located in Cagayan, one at Lal-lo airport and the other at Naval Base Camilo Osias.
The seven other EDCA sites are located at Antonio Bautista Air Base, and Balabac Island in Palawan; Basa Air Base in Pampanga; Benito Ebuen Air Base in Cebu; Fort Magsaysay in Nueva Ecija; Lumbia Air Base in Cagayan de Oro City; and Camp Melchor dela Cruz in Isabela.
“They are not allowed to launch offensive operations from not just the EDCA sites but any part of the Philippines because that is forbidden under our Constitution,” Teodoro said, referring to the Americans.
Teodoro was responding to a question regarding what role the EDCA sites in Cagayan would play in case China attacks Taiwan.
The Americans are allowed to put up facilities at the EDCA sites for the prepositioning of assets needed to respond to territorial defense threats and calamities.
Teodoro noted that the Philippines renounces war as an instrument of national policy, citing a provision of the 1987 Constitution.
Asked if there is a plan to put up an EDCA site in Batanes, Teodoro said: “Philippine bases have to be really expanded.”
“But if it will be an EDCA site, I don’t know because it has limited space,” Teodoro also said, noting that the province’s airport and pier are already issues given their small size.