ANGELES CITY- Pres. Aquino is “courting an impeachment case for culpable violation of the 1987 Constitution and betrayal of public trust for consciously and willfully circumventing the Charter’s prohibition against foreign military bases and troops.”
The Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (KMP) issued yesterday this warning after the President declared that “the US and Japan would have access to the former US bases” in the country.
KMP Secretary General Antonio Flores said “the Constitution expressly prohibits foreign bases, troops, and facilities.”
“Obviously, the President is consciously and deliberately circumventing the Charter. Whether the use of bases is permanent or temporary, the Constitution bans US, Japan, or any foreign military bases and troops in the Philippines,” said Flores.
He quoted Section 25, Article XVIII of the 1987 Philippine Constitution which states that “after the expiration in 1991 of the Agreement between the Republic of the Philippines and the United States of America concerning Military Bases, foreign military bases, troops, or facilities shall not be allowed in the Philippines except under a treaty duly concurred in by the Senate and, when the Congress so requires, ratified by a majority of the votes cast by the people in a national referendum held for that purpose and recognized as a treaty by the other contracting State.”
Flores said that “though an impeachment case against the President will provide a stage for 2016 aspirants and isolate Aquino, it will also draw the line against the US.”
“Political opportunists can have an early posturing for 2016 once an impeachment complaint is filed against the President, but this will also be an acid test of patriotism and defiance against US dictates for presidential wannabes,” Flores noted.
The KMP also assailed Defense Sec Voltaire Gazmin for allegedly “deceiving the Filipino people” about plans for new military bases in Subic.
“With or without new facilities, the fact is, US troops will be given access to the already existing military facilities they left in 1991. Under the guise of moving the Philippine Navy and Air Force to Subic, the Aquino government paved the way for the return of the US military bases in Subic,” Flores said.
