SOMEASPECTSOFRPUSRELATIONS

KILOSBAYANArchives:

TheTaskofBuildingABetterNation JovitoR.Salonga
AlecturedeliveredonNovember28,2002attheDeLaSalleUniversity,TaftAvenue,Manila.

SOMEASPECTSOFRPUSRELATIONSINTHISSEASONOF PEACEANDGOODWILL

ThefirstpresidentialelectionofJune16,1981undermartialrule Manypeoplemighthaveforgottenthatthefirstpresidentialelectionunder martiallawwasheldonJune16,1981,nine(9)yearsafteritsimpositionin 1972andtwelve(12)yearsafterthelastpresidentialelectionin1969.Lydia andIhadjustarrivedinHawaii,followingmyreleasefromimprisonmentin FortBonifacio.IwasimprisonedduetothesuspicionofMarcosandGeneral FabianVerthatNinoyAquinowhohadbeenallowedtoleavefortheU.S.in May1980forhisheartbypasssurgeryandIhadmastermindedtherashof bombingsthatrockedMetroManilafromAugusttoOctober1980.Afterthe bombing of the ASTA Travel Conference in the Philippine International ConventionCenter,whereMarcoswastheKeynoteSpeaker,Iwasordered arrested. I was in the Manila Medical Center at the time, due to my worseningbronchialasthma.IaskedmytwopastorstoinformMinisterof DefenseEnrileandUndersecretaryBarberothatIcouldbearrestedinthe MedicalCenter.Bothofthemsaidtheywouldinformthemilitaryunitin chargebutatthesametimetheytoldmypastorstoletmeknowtheyhad nothingtodowiththeorderofarrest.Ithoughtthatwasreallystrange.In anycase,IwasactuallyplacedunderarrestintheMedicalCenterbythe menofGeneralFabianVer,theChiefofStaffandheadofIntelligenceon October 21, 1980. After ten days, I was brought in an ambulance to Fort Bonifacio Maximum Security Unit on November 1, 1980 and jailed in the sameroomwhereNinoyhadbeenimprisonedforseven(7)yearsandseven (7)months of his memorablelife. Iwas detained incommunicado, without 1

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any investigation and without any charges. But due to my asthmatic condition,Lydiawasallowedtocomeinfromtimetotime. Remarkableincidentsduringmyimprisonmentandaftermyrelease Several incidents during my imprisonment and after my release have remainedwithmeacrosstheyears.WhileintheMedicalCenter,myfriend JohnMaisto,thepoliticalofficeroftheU.S.Embassywhowouldlaterbecome theheadofthePhilippineDeskintheStateDepartmentbeforetheEDSA RevolutionandeventuallyU.S.AmbassadortoNicaragua,tricelwvisitme. HehadatiffwiththemilitaryguardswhoFriskedhimandtookhispicture from various angles. He vehemently protested and identified himself as a U.S.Embassyofficial.Butthemilitaryguardswereunimpressed.Theydid notallowhimtovisitme.Whatanirony,Ithought.TheU.S.Government had been extending increasing military and economic aid to the Marcos dictatorshipandthishighofficialoftheU.S.Embassycouldnotevenseeme, anOppositionfigurewhohadbeenopenlycriticaloftheMarcosregimeand ofU.S.foreignpolicytowardsdictatorslikeMarcosandSomozaofNicaragua. ThroughthecourtesyofacolonelwhowasmyjailerinFortBonifacio,I wasallowedtousemytypewriterandtranslatecertainportionsoftheBible into Tagalog. I spent most of my time in prison translating the Gospel accordingtoSt.Mark AngEbanghelyoayonkaySanMarcos!Dayslater, afteracertainDorisBaffreyconfessedshewastheonewhohadplanteda bomb in the PICC, where 18 civilians were reportedly wounded, Defense UndersecretaryMikeBarbero,mycompadre,advisedLydiatowritealetter to Marcos saying `You now have the bomber; what are you detaining my husbandfor?" Lydiadidassuggested,andsomethinghappenedasIhad guessedduringthescheduledAsianJurists'ConventioninManila.With someflourish,Marcosorderedmyreleasefrommilitarycustodyandplaced me"underhousearrestunderthecustodyofMrs.LydiaBusuegoSalonga."I thoughtthatwasfunny.ItoldLydiaandmyvisitorsthat,anyway,Ihad beenunderhercustodylongbeforetheimpositionofmartialrule. InJanuary1981,Iappliedforpermissiontogoabroadfortworeasons: attend several international conferences, where I was scheduled to speak, 2

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andtoundergocomprehensivemedicalexaminations.MarcosandGen.Ver saidNO.ButwhenMarcosscheduledapresidentialelectioninJune1981, MikeBarberotoldMarcosWebetterallowJovytogoabroad.Hewouldbe onelessheadacheforus."Marcosagreed. DistortionofthetruthbyVPGeorgeBush InearlyMarch1981,LydiaandIleftforHawaii,livedwithourdaughter Patty and her family, attended several conferences in U.S. and Europe, underwentmedicalexaminations,andtriedtofindoutwhatwasgoingonin thePhilippinesthroughthemedia.OnApril7,thedictatorcalledaplebiscite to amend hisownmartiallawConstitution.Hewanted toinsurehisown reelectionbydisqualifyingNinoyAquinoonaccountoflackofage(Aquino was48,theamendmentsaysacandidatemustbeatleast50yearsold),and makesurehewouldbeimmunefromprosecutionforhis"officialacts."After riggingtheplebiscite,Marcosgothisownally,AlejoSantosofBulacan,to opposehimaspresidentialcandidate.AftertheelectoralexerciseonJune16, 1981,Marcosclaimedvictory,sayinghehadobtained87%ofthevotes.Then onJuly1,VicePresidentGeorgeH.Bush,thefather,cametothePhilippines tocelebratethevictoryofMarcos.Icouldn'tbelievewhatIsawonTV:Vice President Bush, a Yale man, who had been sent by President Reagan to representhimintheMarcosinaugurationinManila,toastingthedictator Marcos in words that floored me and must have shocked many thinking people,includingthegrowingranksoftheOppositionbackhome: "We stand with the Philippines. We stand with you, Sir. We love your adherencetodemocraticprinciplesandprocesses." Itwasabrazendistortionofthetruth.BushmusthavethoughtFilipinos were either ignorant or unscrupulous, or both, they would be unable to distinguishbetweentruthandfalsehood,betweenrightandwrong. TheLosAngelesTimeseditorialofJuly2,1981hitBushforhis"appalling lackofjudgment." Theelection,saidthe Times,"waswidelyregardedasa sham. The Philippines are of strategic importance (because of Subic and ClarkField)butitisabsolutelyunnecessarytogotheextrastepandmakethe patentlyridiculousassertion thattheironhanded Philippineleadershares 3

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American democratic values ... It is incredible that Bush, whose broad exposure to foreign policy has included stints as head of the CIA and AmbassadortoChina,shoulddisplaysolittlefeelforthelongterminterests oftheUnitedStales." September 16,1991 rejection of the R.P.U.S. Bases Treaty by the Senate Ten(10)yearslater,inJuly1991,weintheSenategotthemessageof PresidentGeorgeH.Bush,throughRichardArmitage,hisnegotiator,asking ustoratifythenewR.P.U.S.Treatyprovidingfora10yearextensionofthe U.S.militarybases,inconsiderationof$203millionaidayear. AfteraseriesofbriefingsessionswithAdministrationofficialsandseveral surveys,whichIconducted,Iannouncedtothepressthatatleast12senators would be against the Treaty. Under the Constitution, 2/3 of all senators shouldvoteinfavorofaTreaty,otherwiseitwillbeconsideredrejected.Iwas requestedbykeyleadersofmyparty(LP)whosefinancialandmoralhelpI would need in the 1992 presidential elections, to abstain after all, even withoutmyvote,theTreatywouldnotpass.IsaidNo,Iamreadytogo down on thisissue." Inmymind,thepeoplewould not understand why I should abstain and the senators themselves would consider it a failure of leadershipatthelastminute.Inanyevent,thegreatdebatewasheldon September 11. But the most historic day arrived on September 16, 1991. Insteadofa vivavoce vote,Iaskedbothsidestoraisetheirhands.Eleven (11)senatorsraisedtheirhands to showtheywereinfavoroftheTreaty. Eleven(11)senatorsraisedtheirhandstoshowtheywereagainsttheTreaty. ItwasnowmyturnasPresidentoftheSenatetodeliverthecoupdegraceby breakingthedeadlockandsayingNO,thusmakingthevote1211against theU.S.bases.ThehistoricSenatevoteofSeptember16,1991markedthe end of 470 years of foreign military presence in the Philippines i.e., Spanish,American,Japanese,andAmericanagain. Inmyspeech,Isaid: 'WithoutU.S.acquiescence,Marcoscouldnothave imposedmartiallaw.WithoutincreasingU.S.militaryandeconomicsupport, theMarcosdictatorshipwouldhavecollapsedafterafewyears." 4

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Around80%ofthepeople,accordingtopollsurveysatthetime,werein favoroftheU.S.bases.ButI said"questionsofrightandwrongarenot decidedbytemporaryshiftingmajorities."Inthefirstreferendumasrecorded intheNewTestament(Mark15:1516),givenachoicebetweenBarabasand Jesus Christ,thecrowd shouted "Crucify him" (referring toJesus) and thereisnoindicationthatourLordgotevenonevoteinthatfirstelectoral exercise.Butwhenwearealone,weaskourselves:amIright?Intheend,we livewithourconscience. Ithinkallofusareengagedinasearchasearchforthesoulofthe nation,thebestintheFilipinocharacter,asearchforthetrueFilipino spirit.WesummonthememoriesofthosewehonorfromJoseRizalto AndresBonifacio,fromAbadSantostoNinoyAquino. Theircollectivemessage,evenontheeveoftheirdeath, wasoneof hope,notoffear;offaith,notofdoubt;ofconfidenceinthecapacityofthe Filipinotosuffer andovercome, notofhisunwillingness tostand the rigorsoffreedomandindependence." Then I cited several American officials led by President Dwight Eisenhower,whosaidin1958:"Everythingwedointheforeignfieldhas foritsbasicpurposeourownnationalprosperity...Wedonotdothese thingsintheforeignfieldasamatterofaltruismandcharity. IquotedCharlesBohlen,oneoftheablestU.S.ambassadorswhoserved hereinthe1950s.HetoldhisFilipinoaudience:"WeintheU.S.embassyare here to protect American interests. We expect your officials to protect your interests." AmbassadorFrancisUnderhillitwaswhosaidthatU.S.relationswiththe Philippines"canneverbenormalwhilethebasesremain...Therelationship helps to perpetuate in the Philippines a neurotic, manipulative, physically cripplingformofdependency.Asaconsequence,thePhilippinesisacountry thatisdifficulttotakeseriously." I lost inthe presidentialelections of May11, 1992, mainlybecausemy financial backers withdrew their pledge of support. But by virtue of our 5

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decision,theU.S.baseswereturned overtothePhilippines onOctoberl, 1992.Ifeltvindicated.Afterayearorso,thepollsurveys(SWS)showedthat around80%ofourpeoplenowfeltthatthedecisionoftheSenatewasright.

II

Celebrating the Senate rejection of the R.P.U.S. Bases Treaty in Subic BecausethereweresomanyFilipinoswhohadpredictedthecomingof doomsday once the bases are removed, I asked the question: in practical terms,didourdecisionagainsttheU.S.basesbenefitourpeople? OnSeptember16,2002,whenwecelebratedthe11thanniversaryofthe SenaterejectionoftheR.P.U.S.BasesTreaty,theSubicBayMetropolitan Authority(SBMA)ChairmanPayumoinformedmethattherewerenowmore than600businessenterprisesinSubicemployingmorethan55,000workers, surpassingthepeakemploymentfigureof30,000workers duringtheU.S. Navydays;theSBMAhasexported$6.1billionworthofgoodsandforthis yearalone,theestimateis$1.4billion.ItremitstotheNationalTreasury3.5 billionpesosintaxesanddutieseveryyear. Beyond these figures showing there was no reason to be afraid of the disappearanceoftheU.S.bases,ourhistoricdecisiontoendmorethan400 yearsofforeignmilitarypresenceinthePhilippinesenabledustoregainour selfrespect.OurAsianneighbors andWesternpowers,includingtheU.S., begantorespectus.Weregainedourrighttothinkforourselvesandactasa sovereign nation no longer a dependency and a satellite of the United States.ButIamnolongersurewhetherthisistruetoday. GMA'sofferofPhilippineairspaceandrefuelingfacilitiesintheU.S. preemptive war against Iraq is a palpable violation of the Constitution WhydidIsaythat?ImustadmitIhadinmindthedecisionofPresident 6

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MacapagalArroyolastSeptember9,offeringtotheU.S.theuseofPhilippine airspaceandrefuelingfacilities,eventhoughtherewasnoformalrequest fromtheU.S.Government.Inmyopinion,whenshedidthat,thePresident was palpably violating the Constitution, which bars the Philippines from involvementinawarofaggression.InitsDeclarationofPrinciplesandState Policies,theConstitutionstatesthat "thePhilippinesrenounceswarasan instrumentofnationalpolicyandadoptsthegenerallyacceptedprinciplesof internationallawaspartofthelawoftheland.InArticleVI,sec.23(1),the ConstitutionspecificallyconfersonlyonCongressthesolepowertodeclarethe existenceofastateofwarbyavoteof2/3ofbothHousesinjointsession assembled,votingseparately." ThePresident,inmyview,cannotusurpthat powerwithoutdesecratingtheConstitutionshehadsworntouphold. In the Subic Commemoration event last September 16, I said that the PresidenthasnopowertocommitustothesideoftheU.S.byallowingthe lattertousePhilippineairspace,includingourports,airportsandrefueling facilities in anticipation of its preemptive strike against Iraq without benefit of thorough deliberation and without previous authorization by Congress,particularlytheSenate.IwillrefertotheMLSAalittlelater. Bushdidnotofferanyevidencetojustifypreemptivestrikeagainst Iraq InhisU.N.speechlastSeptember12,threedaysaftertheunsolicitedoffer of President GMA, President George W. Bush made a strong case for the returnofU.N.armsinspectorstoIraq,theremovalofSaddam'scapabilityto produceweaponsofmassdestruction,andtheneedforIraqtocomplywith theresolutionsoftheU.N.SecurityCouncil.Wehavenoquarrelwiththat. But President Bush did not offer any evidence that Saddam or Iraq had anything to do with the September 11 sneak attacks in New York or Washington;nordidBushofferanyproofthatSaddamorIraqhassupplied Al Qaeda or other terrorists with weapons of mass destruction. But "our greatestfear" intheU.S.,saidBush,isthatSaddamwouldbeapotential supplierbecauseofhisprogramtoproduceweaponsofmassdestruction,that is,hischemical,biological,andnuclearweaponscapability,whichwillenable Saddam to launch these weapons beyond its borders. Therefore, asserted 7

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Bush,theU.S.(I)willworkwithintheU.N.SecurityCouncilforalimited timebut(2)theU.S.willgoitalonewithapreemptivestrikeiftheU.N.Does nottakedefinitivestepsagainsttheregimeofSaddamwhichisagraveand gatheringdanger"tothelivesofmillionsandtherestoftheworld. ItisBush'sreservationabouttakingasoloflightincaseheisnotsatisfied withthestepstakenornottakenbytheU.N.SecurityCouncilthatmakes him,ineffect,anauthorityoverandabovetheUnitedNations,inviolationof theU.N.Charter.AsIsaidduringthehistoricsessionofSeptember16,1991, weFilipinoshavenoproblemwithindividualAmericans,mostofwhomare likeableandfriendly.Ourproblemiswiththoseinhighpositionsofpowerin Washington who do not come up to the basic decency and the sense of fairnessofordinaryAmericans. Ofcourse,theU.S.,theonlysuperpowerintheworld,hasthecapabilityto overthrowSaddamanddismantlehisregime.Butthereisnoprincipleorrule ofinternationallawnoranyprovisionintheU.N.Charterthatwouldallow theUnitedStatestobomborinvadeanotherStateduetoathreatthatmay ormaynotmaterialize. PresidentCarterscoresthearroganceofAmerica PerhapsitistimeforusFilipinostolistennottoanuglyAmericanbuttoa gentle, softspoken American former President Jimmy Carter, who has recently been awarded the Nobel Peace Prize by Sweden as a mute but eloquentrebuketothecombative,warlovingpresidentoftheUnitedStates. SaidCarterinaninterviewlastNovember16:ThereisasensethattheUS hasbecometooarrogant,toodominant,tooselfcentered,proudofourwealth, believingthatwedeservetobetherichestandmostpowerfulandinfluential nationintheworld.TheU.S.hasgivenothernationsareasonforresentment. TheUSwoulddowelltodestroyitsownweaponsofmassdestructionbefore we confront Iraq over its weapons of mass destruction." Continued Carter: OneofthethingsthattheUS.Governmenthasnotdoneistotrytocomply with and enforce international efforts targeted to prohibit the arsenals of biologicalweapons,chemicalweaponsandnuclearweaponsthatweourselves haveandothershave.Themajorpowersneedtosetanexample." 8

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Thebreakdownoftheruleoflaw;NelsonMandelasaysUSthereal threattoworldpeaceandsecurity InanarticlepublishedintheInternational HeraldTribuneonNovember 22,2002,InternationalLawProf.MichaelJ.GlennonoftheFletcherSchool of Law and Diplomacy maintains that the rule of law is breaking down, chieflybecauseofthebadexamplesoftheUnitedStatesinYugoslaviaand inthecaseofIraq.HerearethepertinentpassagesofGlennon'sarticle: `TherewasanairofunrealityabouttheU.N.SecurityCouncildebateon Iraq. For eight (8) weeks, the Council labored over an American draft resolution concerning Iraq ... The reasoned debate tended to conceal the radicalrealitybehindthebreakdownofinternationalrulesgoverningtheuse offorce.WhywouldtheSecurityCouncilspendtwomonthsdecidingwhether toauthorizetheuseofforceifitsdecisionwerenotbinding(ontheU.S.)?How cantheCouncil'sdecisionbindIraqbutnottheUnitedStates?Theurgent issuetodayisthebreakdownonceagainofinternationalrulesgoverningthe use of force. Until that problem is addressed, the Security Council's deliberationsontheuseofforcewillcontinuetoseemsurreal." UnderArticle51oftheU.N.Charter,membersoftheU.N.canresortto forceonlyintheexerciseofitsinherentrighttoselfdefensebuttherightto selfdefense ceases when the Security Council has taken the measures necessary to maintain international peace and security. Incidentally, the Philippines may be elected within the next few days as a nonpermanent memberoftheSecurityCouncilforatermoftwoyearsthatis2003and 2004.ItwouldbeironicifaftergettingelectedtotheSecurityCouncil,the PhilippinesshouldsuddenlydecidetojoinGeorgeW.Bushinhisarrogant defianceoftheSecurityCouncilandoftheUnitedNations. ThisiswhyNelsonMandela,thestatesmanofSouthAfrica,wassoright whenhesaidtheUnitedStates,underGeorgeW.Bush,istherealthreatto thepeaceandsecurityoftheworld.Hetellsuswhy:itisprimarilybecauseof theoilinterestsoftheU.S.Iraqhasthesecondbiggestoilreservesinthe world, and American oil companies are itching to get in once Saddam is ousted from power. International Herald Tribune issue of September 16, 9

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2002,citesaWashingtonPostarticleonitsfrontpagethatsays:AU.S.led ousterofPresidentSaddamHusseincouldopenabonanzaforAmericanoil companieslongbanishedfromIraq...Americanandforeignoilcompanies havealreadybegunmaneuveringforstakeinthecountry'sprovenreservesof 12billionbarrelsofcrudeoil,thelargestintheworldoutsideSaudiArabia. Osama bin Laden who allegedly masterminded theSeptember 11, 2001 attacksinNewYorkandWashingtonDC,isstillaliveandingoodhealth, accordingtoAmericanexpertswhomonitored andanalyzedhisvoiceina recentbroadcast,butGeorgeW.Bushhasapparentlyforgottenhimthe ouster of Saddam happens to be a more lucrative prospect for American corporations. Prime Minister Mahathir of Malaysia, a credible voice of moderation amongMuslimsandnonMuslims,recentlydeclaredthatthatthefailureof the U.S.led coalition to tackle the underlying causes of injustice and alienationthatledtotheattacksofSeptember11couldbringaboutamore seriousprobleminthefuture.Hesaid:`TheU.S.anditsallieshavemadeno effort to win the hearts and minds of moderate Muslims, but have done everything to alienate them, anger and frustrate them." Muslims are considered everywhere in the West as potential terrorists and routinely abused,penalizedandhumiliatedwhentheytravel.ItisnotonlyMuslims whoarehumiliatedevenChristianslikeSenatePresidentDrilonwho,after having identified himself months ago as the head of the Senate, with a diplomatic passport to prove it, was required to take off his shoes in a Californiaairport,noapologiesofferedbytheoffendingsecuritypersonnel Senator Drilon felt humiliated. He could have pointed out that American officersandsoldierswhohavebeencominghereundertheMBAbeforeand underVFAtodaydidnothavetobotherwithvisasandshoes.Infact,under theVFA,theyaretreatedlikesovereignlords,withallsortsofimmunities andexemptionsfromcustomsregulationsandinternalrevenuetaxes. TheneedforGMAtoretracehersteps How about the Philippines? Unless President Gloria MacapagalArroyo retraceshersteps,whichsheinitiatedonoraroundlastSeptember16by 10

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withdrawingherpreviousoffertotheU.S.touseourairspace,ourportsand airportsandourrefuelingfacilitiesbutwhichsheapparentlyrestoredthe nextday,obviouslyduetoascathing,sarcasticWallStreetJournaleditorial attackinghershewillonlyenrageourmoderateMuslimbrothersinthe Philippines, alienate the whole of Muslim Mindanao, and expose our 1.5 millionOFWs,ourembassiesandconsulates,evenourprofessionalsabroad, toattacksfromMuslimextremistsinMiddleEastcountriesandneighboring States in Southeast Asia. Recent events do not allow us to forget that Ambassador Leonides Caday was bombed and almost killed on August 1, 2000 near the Philippine Embassy premises in Jakarta, shortly after PresidentEstradawagedhisalloutwaragainsttheMuslimsinSouthern Mindanao.

(Due to reported threats, Australia, Canada and the EU closed their embassies last November 29, 2002, eliciting shock and indignation among GMA'scabinetmembers).

III

HowIobtainedacopyoftheMLSA Thisbrings metotheclumsyhandlingoftheMutual LogisticsSupport Agreement (MLSA). Let me relate to you how I obtained a copy of this AgreementaheadofSenatePresidentFranklinDrilonandothersenators. IntheafternoonofThursday,November21,2002,IgotacallfromDefense SecretaryAngeloReyes,whileonmywaytoaclassreunionattheU.Pin QuezonCity.Thecallwasnotunexpected.Inthemorning,afterreadingthe frontpage news story of a major daily saying that the MLSA would be "signednextweek,"IcalleduphisAssistantSecretaryforLegalAffairs,Ms. L. Gloria, asking her to transmit to Secretary Reyes my request for an advance copy of the Mutual Logistics Support Agreement (MLSA), for my own study. In his afternoon call, Secretary Reyes, whose provenance is 11

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Binangonan, Rizal, told me the Agreement had just been signed. I would appreciatehavingacopy,Isaid.Hepromisedhewouldsendacopyofthe Agreement to my residence, adding that "the concerns of Vice President Guingona had been addressed. I kept quiet, preferring to just limit my requestforasignedcopy. WhenIgotbackintheevening,Isawa12pagecopyoftheagreement, signed for the Defense Department of the USA by Mathias R. Velasco, Colonel,U.S.Army,andforDNDChiefofStaffoftheAFP,ErnestoH.de Leon,CommodoreoftheAFP.Ismiledtomyself.Thiswasacrudeattemptto belittletheagreement. An analysis of the MLSA in relation to the 1951 Mutual Defense Treaty Inthequietofmystudy,IreadtheMLSAandnoticedthatitinvokedtwo basic international agreements the R.P.U.S. Mutual Defense Treaty of 1951andtheVisitingForcesAgreementof1999bothofwhichspeakofthe rightsandobligationsofthetwocountriesincaseofexternalaggression.The central,essentialagreementistheMutualDefenseTreatyof1951.ArticleIV provides:EachPartyrecognizesthatanarmedattackinthePacificareaon either of the Parties would be dangerous to its own peace and safety, and declares it would meet the common danger in accordance with its own constitutionalprocesses." ThisisunliketheNATOwhereanattackagainstone,underArticleV,is anattackagainstall,andwouldtriggerimmediateretaliation,underArt.51 oftheU.N.Charter.WhichwaswhySen.ClaroM.Rectowasagainstthe MilitaryBasesAgreementof1947. The Primer says that "there are two types of activities with the correspondingprocessofapproval: Thefirsttype of activityarethoseundertakenundertheMutualDefense Treaty, the RP US Visiting Forces Agreement or the Military Assistance Agreement under Sec. 1a Art. III of the MLSA. Activities under these agreements will be Jointly approved and on the part of the Philippine 12

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Government by the Secretary of Foreign Affairs as CoChairman of the Council of Foreign Ministers as provided in /he RP U.S. Mutual Defense Treaty. "The other type of activity are other cooperative efforts such as humanitarianassistance,disasterreliefandrescueoperationsandmaritime antipollutionoperations ... Itisthefirsttypeofactivitywherethereisadoubledeckviolationofthe law:(1)theMutualDefenseTreatycontemplatesanarmedattackbyanother StateinthePacificareaagainsteitherthePhilippinesortheUnitedStates somethingthatisnotfoundintheMLSA;(2)UndertheConstitution,theuse ofaportwhereshipsloadorunload(likeSubic)oraportofentry(Clark Field)forthepurposeoflaunchingapreemptivewaragainstanothercountry (suchasIraq)requirestheapprovalof2/3ofallthemembersoftheSenate andoftheHousevotingseparatelybutArt.IIISec.1ofMLSAempowers theSecretaryofForeignAffairs(Ople)tobypassandignoreCongress. Obviouslytoallaythefearsofitscritics,thereisastatementonthefourth page:NoUnitedStatesmilitarybase,facility,orpermanentstructureshall beconstructed,establishedorallowedunderthisAgreement. SincetheMLSA under Par.IXshallbeinforcefora period of five (5) years, and shall be subject to review by the Parties at least one (1) year before its termination, "to consider the possibility of extending it under mutually acceptable terms, "it is understandable that only temporary structuresnotgoingbeyondfive(5)yearsmaybeestablishedorallowedin SubicorClarkField.Infact,wearetoldinaPrimerissuedbytheExecutive Departmentthatitisanexecutiveagreement,notaTreaty,since"itdoesnot involve an international agreement of a permanent character but rather it involvesanarrangementofamoreorlesstemporarynature." Be it noted that there is no such distinction between permanent and temporary structures in Article VII, Section 21 of our Constitution, which provides: `Notreatyor internationalagreement shallbevalidandeffective 13

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unlessconcurredinbyatleasttwothirdsofallthemembersoftheSenate." AgainthePrimersaysthattheMLSAdoesnotallowtherebasingofU.S. military in Philippine soil, because: (1)it does not provide for any basing arrangement;(2)TheAgreementexpresslyprovidesinArticleIV,par.1(a2) that"Storageunitsandportsshallatalltimesremainunderthecontroland supervisionofthehoststate."Thissecondreasonisanonsequitur. Thefactthataportwhichcanmeanalotofthingsisunderthecontrol of the Philippines does not mean there is no basing arrangement. Port, accordingtobothWebsterandOxfordDictionaries,includesacityortown, withaharbor;anairportwheregoodspassinandoutofacountry;alsocalled aportofentry,(a)aplacewheregoodsmaybereceivedintoacountrysubject to inspection by customs officials; or (b) any place where travelers or immigrants may enter a country. Under this definition, Subic and Clark Fieldarebothportsofentry.WhenwesaythatSubicandClarkFieldqualify asportsorportsofentryundertheMLSA,wearevirtuallysayingthatour high officials who said this agreement is merely a minor accounting or administrativematter didnotreadtheMLSAcorrectly.Orhavingreadit, theyfailedtounderstandit;orunderstandingit,theyarenotbeingfairto ourpeoplewhentheytellusthisneednotgototheSenate. Disagreementincaseofdifferenceininterpretationbetweenthe parties By the way, under Par. VIII of MLSA, any disagreement in the interpretation of the agreement can only be resolved through direct consultationbetweenthePartiesorthroughdiplomaticchannels "andshall notbereferredtoanyinternationaltribunalorthirdpartyforsettlement". I canreadilyunderstandwhytheU.S.isallergictoanyinternationaltribunal orarbitrator.TheU.S.haslostseveralcasesbeforeinternationaltribunals, notablythecaseofNicaraguaagainsttheU.S.Thismayalsoexplainwhythe U.S.doesnotwanttosubjectitselftothejurisdiction oftheInternational CriminalCourt.Itdoesnotwanttoloseanycase.TheU.S.wantstobein control of any dispute today and is uneasy about one principle it used to preach equal justice under the law. But since the U.S. is the lone 14

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Superpowerintheworldwithamilitarymightthatisunmatchedbyany otherState,IcanseewhytheU.S.prefersdirectconsultationsbetweenthe partiesordiplomaticnegotiations.Ourpathetic,spuriousnegotiationswith theU.S.onthemilitarybasesafteroursupposedindependenceon .July4, 1946showthatevenwhentheU.S.wasnotyettheloneSuperpower,there was no way the Philippines could prevail over the United States. The PhilippinepanelwasinfavorofU.S.militarybases,buttheyjustwantedto makecertainminimaldemandsnobasesintheMetropolitanManilaarea and no grant of extraterritorial rights. Wrote Ambassador Eduardo Rodriquezinhis1980book,AQuestionofSovereignty": 'At first they tried to hold onto their position. At one point when the negotiationsseemedtobogdown,AmbassadorPaulV.McNuttthreatenedto withdrawallUnitedStatesforcesfromthePhilippines.Thenetresultwasthe almostcompletecapitulationofthePhilippinesonalmosteverypaint." Filipinohighofficialsshouldgettogetherandprotectournationalinterest gettheU.S.Ambassadortoagreetoanexchangeofnotesconfirminghis disclaimers. Last November 24, 2002, there were two important news items in the major dailies: (1) the challenge of Secretary Blas Ople directed to VP GuingonatofileacaseintheSupremeCourtagainsttheMLSA;and(2)the disclaimerofU.S.AmbassadorRicciardonesaying"wedon'twantthebases, wedon'tneedthem,andtheMLSAhasnothingtodowithbases."Inthelate afternoon of Sunday, November 24, 2002 I released a press statement, as follows: "InsteadofchallengingVPGuingonatogototheSupremeCourtonthe MLSA,ourhighpublicofficialsshouldgettogetherandfocusonpromoting ourownnationalinterest.ForeignAffairsSecretaryBlasOpleandDefense Secretary Angelo Reyes should take advantage of the disclaimers of U.S. AmbassadorFrancisRicciardoneandgettheU.S.Government,particularly itsmilitary,toagreethat:(1)U.S.willnotuseSubicorClarkFieldinany wayormanner;(2)U.S.willnotuseanypartofRPtolaunchwaragainst IraqintheNewYear(2003)andthereafter;and(3)USwillplayfairand 15

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cancel travel advisories warning U.S. citizens against coming to the Philippines,therebycooperatingwithusinboostingPhilippineeconomy. TalkischeapandasRicciardone'sverbalstatementsdon'tbindtheU.S.,it willbeadvisabletogethighlevelAmericanofficials,notamereU.S.colonel, toformallyagreebymeansofanexchangeofnotes1betweentheDepartment of Foreign Affairs and the U.S. Ambassador, duly authorized by the US Government,thattheU.S. will notuseSubicorClarkFieldinanywayor manner,oruseanypartofthePhilippinesinthebombingand/orinvasionof Iraq, which maintains friendly relations with the Philippines. The US is admittedlyinterestedintheoilreservesofIraq,thesecondbiggestinthe world,butwedonothavetheseinterests,saidtheformersenatepresident, whodescribedtheMLSAasmasterpieceofambiguity." NeitherSecretaryBlasOplenorSecretaryAngeloReyes,neithertheU.S. Embassy nor Malacaang can usurp the prerogative of the Senate I1t, st;ttingthattheMLSAisanexecutiveagreementand,thereforedoesi1ot need Senate ratification or concurrence. Senate President Franklin I)rilon wasrightinsayingnooneamongthemcanspeakfortheSenate.Ireminded thebickeringFilipinoofficialsitwasAmbassadorCharlesBohlen,thevery ableU.S.ambassador,whotoldhisFilipinoaudience: "WeintheU.S.EmbassyarehereinthePhilippinestoprotectAmerican interests.Weexpectyourofficialstoprotectyourowninterests." AswelookforwardtothecelebrationofChristmas,letus,inthisseasonof peace and goodwill, remember the words of our Lord and Savior in his SermonontheMount: "Blessedarethepeacemakersfortheyshallbecalled thechildrenofGod."

1*ExchangeofnotesAninformalmethodwherebythePartiestoaninternational agreementsubscribetocertainunderstandingsorrecognizecertainobligationsas bindingonthem.

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