Panel formed to negotiate increase of US troops in Phl

MANILA, Philippines - A government negotiating panel has been formed to talk with the US on allowing the increased presence of American troops in the country.

Members of the government negotiating panel will hold a press briefing at the Armed Forces Commissioned Officers Club at Camp Aguinaldo today. 

A defense department advisory said Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin and Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario are expected to issue statements today on the start of negotiations.

It did not say when the discussions would begin, but that it would be about “a possible framework of agreement on the increased rotational presence” of US forces.

Officials said having an “increased rotational presence” of US troops will help the country attain a “minimum credible defense” to guard its territory.

Increasing the number of American soldiers will mean more resources and training for disaster response, they added.

Muntinlupa Rep. Rodolfo Biazon believes Congress will exercise its oversight functions in the negotiations and implementation of the “increased rotational presence” of American forces in the country.

The chairman of the House committee on national defense and security said he had received a letter “informative in nature” from Gazmin and Del Rosario on the coming negotiations with the US to increase its presence in the country.

The retired Armed Forces chief told The STAR the letter was sent to him and other leaders of Congress “so that we (Congress) will not be surprised when they (Philippine and US officials) make announcements on the issue.”

“The involvement of Congress (in the negotiations and implementation of increased US troops) will just be in the nature of oversight,” he said.

“Among the possible issues are, is this constitutional? Will there be a need for Congress to ratify (agreements) in the event that agreements like the VFA (Visiting Forces Agreement) and the Mutual Defense Treaty would be changed? Is this (rotational presence) beneficial for us or not?”

Biazon said he believes no constitutional issue would arise from the plan as US troops have been deployed in various parts of the country on a rotational basis in the past several years.

“So the principle of rotational presence has been there, they only want to increase it,” he said.

The Constitution bans foreign troops from being permanently based in the country, but the Senate ratified the 1999 VFA with the US that allows temporary visits by American forces.

Biazon said the plan to increase the presence of US troops in the country was due to the increasing intrusions of Chinese vessels in disputed areas in the West Philippine Sea.

Rommel Banlaoi, Philippine Association of Chinese Studies vice president,   believes the negotiation aims to maintain peace and stability in Asia, including the West Philippine Sea.   – With Paolo Romero