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News ReleaseApril 27, 2014

References: Bayan Muna Rep. Neri Colmenares, 09178350459 Bayan Muna Rep. Carlos Isagani Zarate , 09177174014

As former senators express concern on AEDCBAYAN MUNA ALSO STUDYING OPTION TO GO TO INTERNATIONAL COURTSays AEDC tantamount to allowing crimes of aggression and crimes against humanity

As three of the senators who rejected the renewal of the Philippine-US bases treaty in 1991 expressed concern over the constitutionality of the new Agreement on Enhanced Defense Cooperation (AEDC) that is expected to be signed between the two countries during the visit of US President Barack Obama this week, Bayan Muna Reps. Neri Javier Colmenares and Carlos Isagani Zarate today said that aside from questioning the deal at the Supreme Court, they are also studying of taking the issue to the international court. 

Rep. Colmenares said that they have received reports that there would be a last meeting today for the negotiating panels and that the AEDC would be signed tomorrow morning before the arrival of Pres. Obama. 

He also expressed alarm of the undue haste for the signing of the AEDC that will practically bring back US military bases in the Philippines without a treaty, without rent and without limits as the American may use all Philippine military facilities - an arrangement worse than the Bases Treaty rejected by the Philippine Senate in September 1991.

Meanwhile Rep. Carlos Zarate said that “even if they say that “key provisions and modalities of the AEDC would reflect, among others, full respect for Philippine sovereignty, nonpermanence of US troops and no US military basing in the Philippines and a prohibition against nuclear weapons, we all know that these can be circumvented by the fact that in reality it is the US government is the one calling the shots and not the Aquino administration,”

Rep. Colmenares, also warned the Philippine government that it could be held accountable under international law should the US use its military facilities in the Philippines to commit aggression in other countries.  

“The US is also expanding its bases in Japan.  During the International Alliance of Democratic Lawyers congress last week, it was made clear by many legal luminaries attending the Congress that the crime of aggression does not only attach to the US but also the country that allows the use of its territory to attack other countries.  While we condemn China’s aggressive acts in the West Philippine Sea, we will not tolerate aggressive acts of the US which will subject the Filipino people to retaliatory attacks by the many enemies of the US,” said Rep. Colmenares.  

“We will get the support of international lawyers to file a case against the US and Pres. Aquino for crimes against humanity committed as a result of this new basing agreement,” he added.

 “We must learn from history that the Filipino people ousted the bases in 1991 not only because its presence violates our sovereignty but they were also magnets for attack from the many enemies of the United States. The presence of US troops here will increase the tension in the region and threatens its stability. We do not want to become another Iraq where the US troops remained even if Saddam Hussein has long been dead. We should stand against China’s bullying but we should get the support of the international community instead of the US,” ended Rep Colmenares.###

CARL ALAPublic Information Officer09175110459