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Filipino Catholic bishops have joined calls for transparency following a recent defence deal between the United States and the Philippines.
Last month’s deal could see the US return to former naval and air force bases in the north of the country, warned Philippines bishops’ conference spokesman Bishop Broderick Pabillo.
“The problem is we don’t even know the details of what was signed,” Bishop Pabillo said.
Under the new deal, the US will be allowed to deploy an unlimited number of military personnel in the Pacific nation, UCA News reported.
US forces left their bases in Subic Bay and Clark Field in 1992 after the Philippines Senate chose not to extend a treaty that allowed the Americans to have bases in the country.
On May 27, social justice and activist groups filed a petition questioning the constitutionality of the new agreement.
They also criticised the rent-free provision of facilities to the US military.
Also sought is a temporary restraining order, which would require the Philippines government “to cease and desist” from implementing the agreement.
“The text and subtext of the arguments in this petition are openly directed at the subservience of the Philippine government to the blatant and outright prevarications and lies that US interests have peddled for more than a century now,” the petition stated.
The National Union of Peoples’ Lawyers said the agreement is “nothing but a blatant mockery of our sovereignty and an assault to our national interest”.
Philippine and US officials signed the deal last month during the visit of President Barack Obama to Manila.
The new agreement grants US troops access to designated Philippine military facilities, the right to construct facilities, and pre-position equipment, aircraft and vessels.
The pact, however, rules out permanent basing, as the Philippines constitution bans foreign military bases in the country unless covered by a treaty.
Neither country has revealed how many US troops are present in the Philippines, UCA News reported.
Tensions have been simmering between the Philippines and China over disputed territorial claims to islands in the South China Sea.
A recent incident led Philippines president Benigno Aquino to accuse China of playing a “dangerous game of brinkmanship and gunboat diplomacy”.
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