Don’t keep us from our job, Angara tells Palace

Sen. Edgardo Angara called on Malacanang yesterday not to keep the Senate in the dark on foreign policy matters that need the chamber’s review or concurrence.

"The country cannot have a one firm voice on foreign policy if the executive branch insists that it has a patent on deciding what foreign policy is good for the country," Angara said.

He stressed that Malacanang could not consistently ignore the review and ratification functions of the Senate as the Constitution mandates that the chamber should be a partner in crafting foreign policy.

"Consultation, not exclusion, should be the operative word in the conduct of foreign policy," Angara added.

He said that Malacanang’s "misplaced arrogance" in crafting foreign policy was shown in the signing of the RP-US Mutual Logistics Support Agreement (MLSA) without telling senators about it.

Foreign Affairs Secretary Blas Ople and Defense Secretary Angelo Reyes were supposed to brief the entire Senate Thursday afternoon, a few hours after the MLSA was signed at Camp Aguinaldo. However, only Sen. Ramon Magsaysay was able to attend the briefing as the rest of the senators had already made commitments before being informed of the briefing.

Ople sheepishly admitted to Magsaysay that it was only late Wednesday that he learned from Reyes that the signing ceremony would push through Thursday.

Both Ople and Reyes maintained that the MLSA merely implements provisions of the Mutual Defense Treaty and the Visiting Forces Agreement between the Philippines and the United States and, therefore, does not need Senate concurrence or ratification.

Magsaysay agreed, but he maintained that this should not preclude the Senate from reviewing it in line with its constitutional rule as partner of the executive department in formulating foreign policy.

Angara said he personally favors US support for the Armed Forces of the Philippines in logistics and training.

He added, however, that even some senators who are basically supportive of the agreements entered into by the administration with the United States have wondered why Malacanang has opted to keep everything to itself instead of getting consensus and support.

He charged that the Arroyo administration has conducted foreign policy matters on a "know-it-all" basis since it assumed office.

"The Arroyo administration’s conduct of foreign policy is very consistent — everything it signs is a mere technical agreement that does not need Senate review or concurrence," Angara said. – Efren Danao