Church, other groups make last stand vs Jpepa

MANILA, Philippines - Church and civil society groups made a last-minute appeal to the Senate Wednesday to reject the controversial Japan Philippines Economic Partnership Agreement (Jpepa). In a full-page ad published in the Philippine Daily Inquirer, the signatories called on the Senate to stand up for Filipinos' rights and welfare. "We call on the senate to stand up for the Filipino people on the issue of Jpepa," they said in the ad, adding that side notes will do little to improve the Philippines' position. Senators were to tackle Wednesday the controversial Jpepa. Senate foreign relations committee chairwoman Miriam Santiago was to present the proposed trade pact on the floor during the session. According to the signatories, the side agreements "tread on dangerous waters as has been shown by precedents in the arena of international treaties." "The faults and ills of Jpepa cannot be fixed by side notes. The threats on the environment on the lives and on the livelihood of the Filipino people cannot be eliminated by a general statement that our so-called trading partner will respect Philippine laws," they said. Under Jpepa Japanese investors could own Philippine private land for all ventures other than those in the manufacturing and services sector, thus violating the 1987 Constitution, they said. Also, they said Jpepa allows Japan to fish in Philippine waters, an activity reserved solely for Filipino citizens. On the other hand, they said the pact would violate the toxic substance and hazardous and nuclear wastes act, even as it contains "lopsided economic and related provisions." They added that Jpepa allows Japan to exclude and thus protect 651 of its products, while allowing the Philippines to protect only six. Among those who signed the statement were former vice president Teofisto Guingona Jr., Von Hernandez of Greenpeace, columnist Randolph David, former Senate president Jovito Salonga. Church leaders who signed were Manila auxiliary bishop Broderick Pabillo; Bro. Edmundo Fernandez, provincial superior of De La Salle Brothers; Caloocan bishop Deogracias Iñiguez Jr; Bishop Julio Labayen; bishops Antonio Ledesma (Cagayan de Oro), Rolando Tirona (Infanta), Antonio Tobias (Novaliches) and Bro. Armando Luistro. - GMANews.TV