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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider US shouldn't use PH as staging area for war--Robin

US shouldn't use PH as staging area for war--Robin

Published Apr 12, 2023 05:50 am
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The expanded Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA) between the Philippines and the United States (US) should not be used by the latter as a reason to turn the Philippines into a staging area for offense against China, Senator Robinhood Padilla said on Wednesday, April 12. According to him, the Philippines is obliged to honor its commitments with the US that the EDCA is for defense purposes only. The Philippines would be dragged into hostilities unnecessarily should the US get mired in the China-Taiwan conflict through the use of EDCA sites, he added. The action movie star-turned-solon said he has long pushed for a mandatory Reserved Officers Training Course (ROTC) program in college. He said he became a reservist in the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) not to fight China or any other country. However, he noted the need to be ready like what is being done by many countries amid the global developments.

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