ONE of the priority sites of the pre-positioning of Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (Edca) in the country is the old Lumbia airport, home to the Tactical Operations Group in Northern Mindanao.
Major General Oscar Lactao, 4ID commanding general, hailed the decision making Cagayan de Oro a priority site of Edca in a press conference at Camp Edilberto Evangelista on Thursday.
With a vote of 1-0-4, a ruling of the Supreme Court (SC) upheld the constitutionality of Edca adding that a Senate ratification is unnecessary for its implementation.
Under the agreement, the United States of America will be allowed to build structures, store as well as pre-position weapons, defense supplies and material, station troops, civilian personnel and defense contractors, transit and station vehicles, vessels, and aircraft for a period of 10 years.
Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) spokesperson Restituto Padilla said the shortlist included Nueva Ecija, Clark, Palawan, Cebu and Cagayan de Oro.
He said the priority sites are Fort Magsaysay in Nueva Ecija, Base Airbase in Pampanga, Antonio Bautista Airbase in Palawan, Benito Ebuen Airbase in Cebu, Clark Airbase in Pampanga and Lumbia airfield in Cagayan de Oro.
Padilla has emphasized these areas can be part for the maritime security, and maritime domain awareness in the island.
Lactao said this would mean “more interaction between this country's military forces and the US.”
"Kasama na rin dito ang stability ng West Philippines Sea dispute, security, modernization of military equipment, and enhanced economic activity not just in the city but for the country," Lactao added.
Meanwhile, youth militant groups in the region expressed their rage with the SC ruling.
A statement of the League of Filipino Students (LFS) in northern Mindanao decried the SC decision and condemned it saying, "More than the technicalities of the Constitution, the facts remain that the presence of US military bases in the country bring along with them cases of human rights violations," read the statement.
Also, the Kabataan Party-list in Mindanao said the decision is an insult to the majority of the Filipinos who experienced grave human rights violations during the American colonization period.
“One of the youth agenda is to fight for national patrimony and sovereignty, we therefore call on the junking of Edca and stopping of US military encampment in the country,” the statement added.