Rights group signs impeachment complaint vs. BS Aquino for EDCA

By KARAPATAN
July 24, 2014

QUEZON CITY – "For giving away the Philippines to the dogs, BS Aquino should be impeached," said Karapatan Secretary General Cristina Palabay as they signed the impeachment complaint against Pres. Benigno Simeon Cojuangco Aquino for entering into the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA) with the government of the United States.

On the bases of culpable violation of the Constitution and the betrayal of public trust, this third impeachment complaint was filed today at the House of Representatives, endorsed by Makabayan bloc representatives Antonio Tinio, Luz Ilagan and Emmi de Jesus.

"For entering into a lopsided agreement which puts United States' interest over the civil and political rights of the Filipino citizens, BS Aquino deserves to be impeached. This agreement is a portent of more rights violations to come. The ancestral lands of the indigenous peoples, the lands of the farmers, even public roads, seaports and airports may now be occupied by the American troops under the "Agreed Locations" provision of the agreement. These facilities may accommodate and be used to transport or preposition US personnel and war materiel. This is worse than the rejected treaty in the 1990’s," Palabay explained.

She added that "the US may employ any form of security measure to defend its troops against any opposition in the use of these 'agreed locations.' More so, we Filipinos may not file a case in any court, local or international, for the offenses that the US troops will commit."

"Our signing of the impeachment complaint also means we are holding the US government co-accountable for all the human rights violations in our country," Palabay said. "THE US HAS COMMITTED CRIMES AGAINST THE FILIPINO PEOPLE: for guiding the implementation of Aquino's Oplan Bayanihan; for providing continuous and increasing foreign military aid to Aquino’s killing machine, the Armed Forces of the Philippines; for the victims of US troops during the Balikatan exercises in Mindanao," Palabay said.