PETALING JAYA: University of the Philippines (UP) professor Roland Simbulan opined that the archipelago nation government’s decision to allow the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA) sites in the country, has made it a virtual carrier or a forward base for the United States.
According to various Philippine media outlets, Simbulan, who also authored the book titled “The Bases of Our Insecurity” said in an event that EDCA sites are compromising the Philippines’ sovereignty and making it a target of attacks by the United States’ geopolitical rivals.
“I am sure these countries, which are enemies of the US and which are not necessarily our enemies, are now training and typing the EDCA sites as part of their targets,“ he said.
Simbulan called for a foreign policy that is independent, rather than relying on external military forces.
Simbulan’s latest book expands on his critical analysis of the strategic implications of foreign military bases in the Philippines, particularly focusing on the controversial Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA) bases.
The Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA) is an agreement between the United States and the Philippines intended to bolster the American–Philippine alliance.
The agreement allows the United States to rotate troops into the Philippines for extended stays and allows the United States to build and operate facilities on Philippine bases for both American and Philippine forces.
