Naniniwala si House Ways and Means Chair at Albay Representative Joey Salceda na may karapatan ang mga mambabatas na malaman kung ano ang nasa likod ng pinalawig na presensiya ng mga sundalong Amerikano sa bansa.
Sa isang pahayag sinabi ng ekonomistang mambabatas na dapat malaman kung ano ang mga benepisyo na makukuha ng bansa sa naturang expansion.
“It’s a fair price to ask for clarity. The US has dramatically expanded its military footprint in the Philippines, so it is important that lawmakers understand how, when, and to what extent that presence will be used,” pahayag ni Rep. Salceda.
Magugunita na naging kontrobersiyal ang dagdag na na apat na bagong Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA) sites na ang dating ay nasa lima.
Plano naman ni Salceda na linawin ito oras na sumalang sa budget deliberation ang Department of National Defense (DND).
Ayon sa house tax chief, may mga seryosong tanong ito kaugnay sa maritime defense capabilities na kailangang tugunan sa 2024 budget.
Dagdag pa ni Salceda na kailangan na rin na mabigyang linaw kung ano ang maituturing na ‘act of aggression’ batay sa 1951 Mutual Defense Treaty (MDT) ng Pilipinas at US.
Batay kasi dito, na ano mang aggression laban sa Pilipinas ay magiging epektibo ang MDT at dedepensahan ng US ang ating bansa.
“To the extent that discretion allows, it is the public’s interest to know what preparations are being made to defend our territorial waters and what resources are needed to ensure we are ready,” dagdag pa ni Salceda added.
Suportado naman ng mambabatas ang pagbili ng gobyerno ng mga modernong kagamitan bilang bahagi ng AFP modernization.
“This year, we will be acquiring US-made High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS) and Indian BrahMos anti-ship cruise missiles. They have lethal capacity to maritime aggression. This is one of the most underreported accomplishments of the President, and I fully support him in this. We in Congress will make room in the budget and our foreign aid policy for this,” pahayag ni Salceda
