The Return of US Marines?
Document Title: The Return of US Marines?
Document Ref No: R9702201
First Published: Reflections - Philippine Daily Inquirer
Publication Date: 20th February 1997
Author's Name: Father Shay Cullen, SSC
The United States will be one of the biggest beneficiaries of any constitutional Convention or assembly that will amend the constitution. It will be a unique opportunity for them to have their favorite delegate or congressman introduce changes to the provisions forbidding the stationing of Foreign troops on Philippines soil and the passage or visits of Nuclear powered ships to Philippine ports. It is no secret that the United States military want cross provisioning agreements with the Philippine Government and immunity from prosecution for their troops while in the Philippine on Port visits or joint military exercises. A Constitutional Convention would open a path to rescinding the ban on foreign military .
A US Embassy spokesperson told Reflections yesterday in a telephone interview that they had no comment on anything to do with a constitutional convention or its agenda. The embassy said they were not aware that the constitutional ban on foreign troops had become a matter of discussion. In the same interview Ms. Morris said that the discussion regarding the request by the US Military for immunity from prosecution for US troops visiting the Philippines was still on-going with the Philippine representatives on the Mutual Defense Board.
"On-going" can be safely presumed to mean that they are pressing hard to get such immunity but it is such a sensitive issue involving a waiver of Philippine sovereignty and jurisdiction over foreign troops on Philippine soil that little progress can be expected. A constitutional change would be needed to allow it because it is not part of the mutual defense Treaty .
While there are people in the Clinton Government that oppose any increase in US military expenditure for foreign activities and at a time when many bases are being closed in the United States, there are those who argue that a stronger military presence is needed in Asia. China, some believe, is a source of future conflict and the Philippines is the ideal rear support base and jump off point of any necessary military intervention. The Spratleys is one point of contention and could be used to justify a change in the constitution and allow US Troops back into the Philippines.
During the Taiwan crises of 1996 when China threatened an invasion of Taiwan if it declared independence and drove home it's point with a few days of missile firing in the waters off Taiwan the US fleet had to hustle itself across a vast expanse of ocean to get to the Taiwan Straits and fly the the flag. The felt need for bases closer to the Asian mainland became acute .
US military senior admirals and the joint Chief's of staff have always sought forward deployment options and in relation to Asia the Philippines is about the most ideal they could ever hope for. Commercial access has been discussed between Dick Gordon and US defense officials since 1995 . Increased port visits were a prelude to longer stop over and the possibility of warehousing supplies at Subic was a point of discussion. Dick Gordon, a descendent of a US Marine, is believed, to strongly favor the return of the US Military to the Philippines.
Those proposals in themselves were laughable because what they put forward was that the Philippine Air Force and Navy could have access to supplies and refuelling for their planes and ships when they made port calls to San Francisco or Guam. The Philippine navy and air force have a hard time keeping it's planes in the sky and afloat not to talk about making overseas trips. Such Cross-servicing agreements is a frail fig leaf covering more vital interests . The real plan is to get a more firm foot hold on Philippine territory for the US ships and marines but the constitutional prohibition blocks the way.
Therefore any move to change the constitution is a windfall opportunity for the US Military . We can be sure that it will be an opportunity that they won't fail to explore and exploit. Philippine Congressmen so greedy, power hungry and irresponsible to change the constitution to perpetuate themselves in power would have no scruples about appeasing US interests and rescinding the provisions banning foreign troops on Philippine Soil. END
