Aquino faces impeachment over US defense deal

MANILA, Philippines — President Aquino faces another impeachment complaint, this time for the supposed unconstitutionality of the Philippines' recently forged defense agreement with the United States.

The impeachment complaint, signed by left-wing groups and party-lists, was filed Thursday before the House of Representatives. It argued that Aquino allowed the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA) without the approval of Congress.

The complainants, which include representatives from the Gabriela Women's Party-list, ACT Teachers Party-list and Bayan Muna, said that EDCA is by nature a treaty, as it allowed foreign forces to establish bases in the country—a move which requires Congress' ratification.

"However, the President passed it off as a mere executive agreement and bypassed entirely the Senate and the House of Representatives," ACT Teachers Party-List Rep. Antontio Tinio said in an interview over ANC on Thursday.

American Ambassador to the Philippines Philip Goldberg, however, defended criticisms on EDCA, a key part of the US' agenda to modernize its Asia-Pacific alliances as the Obama administration pivots its foreign policy to the region.

"EDCA does not represent new bases, [as American troops] will be in Armed Forces of the Philippines' facilities with access to Filipinos," Goldberg said on Wednesday in an interview over Radyo Singko.

"We don't think this crosses the line or anything and we're not interested in new bases," he added.

Goldberg explained that the US can neither afford having new military bases around the world, even in the Philippines, its longtime defense ally.

A separate group has petitioned the Supreme Court to declare the EDCA unconstitutional weeks after it was signed in April this year. The high court, however, has not released a resolution on the matter.