SC orders gov’t to answer petitions to abolish Edca

EDCA CHALLENGED (From left) Lawyers Edre Olalia and Steve Salonga and former Rep. Teddy Casino, all petitioners; and lawyers Romel Bagares and Ethel Avisado, both supporters of the petition, hold copies of the petition to declare as unconstitutional the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement in front of the Supreme Court building in Manila. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO/RAFFY LERMA

MANILA, Philippines—The Supreme Court has ordered the government to answer the petitions that seek to nullify the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (Edca).

During the resumption of the high court’s en banc, the high court also ordered the government to comment on bids to stop Edca’s implementation.

The high court gave the government 10 days to comment.

The two petitions on Edca’s legality have been consolidated. The first petition was filed by former senators Rene Saguisag and Wigberto Tanada, two of the 12 senators who voted to eject the US bases in 1991.

The second petition was filed by the Bagong Alyansang Makabayan, Makabayang Koalisyon ng Mamamayan (Makabayan) along with other groups.

Named respondents in the petition are Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa, Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin, Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario, Armed Forces of the Philippines Chief of Staff General Emmanuel Bautista, Defense Undersecretary Pio Lorenzo Batino, Ambassadors Eduardo Malaya and Lourdes Yparraguirre, Defense Assistant Secretary for Strategic Assessment Raymund Jose Quilup and Justice Undersecretary Francisco Baraan III.

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