DAVAO CITY – A Davao City councilor urged the City Council on Tuesday, April 21, to pass a resolution opposing any move that could undermine Davaoeños' security and national sovereignty.

Councilor Pamela Librado-Morata, chairperson of the Committee on Labor and Employment, and on Human Rights, issued the call during the 21st Davao City Council's privilege hour.

Morata, opposing reports on the United States' bid for a military oil depot in Davao, urged the council to reject moves that could turn the region and the country into a proxy for foreign wars.

The councilor warned that if such bidding were to happen, this could undermine national sovereignty and draw the Philippines into foreign conflicts.

Morata said the proposed depot, reportedly intended to support US military operations in the Indo-Pacific, should not be viewed as ordinary infrastructure.

"This is not merely infrastructure. It is a strategic military installation with potential implications for national security and foreign policy," Morata said.

She cited agreements, such as the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement, Mutual Defense Treaty, and Visiting Forces Agreement, as possible bases for the proposed facility.

Morata said the matter must be viewed in a wider global security context, warning that military logistics infrastructure could pull the Philippines into conflicts it is not directly involved in.

The councilor warned that fuel depots and similar installations may become targets during wartime and could place nearby civilian communities at risk.

"Facilities such as this are not neutral. They enable war," she said, adding that allowing such infrastructure could turn the Philippines into a staging ground for foreign military intervention.

Morata also cited concerns that hosting a refueling hub could expose the country to potential retaliation, referencing nations that became targets after hosting foreign military facilities.

She said citizens would be the first to be affected if tensions escalate, warning that any spillover from foreign conflicts may cause disruptions, safety threats, and economic impacts.

Morata further questioned the timing of the proposal, noting reports that the United States is considering a depot capable of supplying up to 42 million gallons of fuel annually.

The US Defense Logistics Agency reportedly plans to target the storage capacity of about 977,000 barrels of US government-owned fuel for warships and aircraft over four years.

She said the project comes as Filipinos face rising fuel prices, job losses, and economic insecurity, arguing that priority should instead be given to addressing domestic energy concerns.

Morata raised constitutional issues, citing Article II, Section 7 of the 1987 Constitution, which mandates an independent foreign policy anchored on national sovereignty and interest.

She said allowing foreign war logistics infrastructure here could run counter to this principle, as it may compromise the country's policy of independence and neutrality in international affairs.

Morata stressed that the Philippines must uphold a policy of neutrality and independence. "Our land must serve the Filipino people, not foreign military interests."