Palace: Duterte wants Philippines paid for US presence under EDCA

President Rodrigo Duterte wants the US to pay for its military's use of Philippine facilities under the two countries' Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement, presidential spokesman Harry Roque Jr. said on Tuesday.

Roque made the remark days after Duterte said the US needed to pay for the implementation of the Visiting Forces Agreeement--the treaty which provides for the presence of US forces engaged in joint exercises with Filipino troops.

“Dahil po dito sa EDCAng ito eh binigyan po natin ng karapatan ang mga Amerikano na mag-preposition ng kanilang sundalo at ng kanilang mga defense equipment at karapatan na gamitin ang lahat ng ating mga base militar," Roque said.

"Sa tingin ko po kung gusto na matigil ito ng ating Presidente, kinakailangan balikan muli at pag-isipan niya kung bukod sa VFA ay dapat na rin tayong magbitiw dito sa tinatawag na EDCA,” he added.

At the inspection of new aircraft at the former US air base in Clark, Pampanga, Duterte had a message for the US: “You want VFA? You have to pay."

"You have to pay because it is a shared responsibility. Your share of responsibility does not come free because after all, when the war breaks out, we all pay," Duterte said.

The VFA came into effect in May 1999 after it was ratified by the Senate.

It allows American forces to hold joint military exercises, counter intelligence training and engage in humanitarian aid missions with their Filipino counterparts but prohibits US troops from engaging in combat operations.

The EDCA is an agreement supplemental to the VFA, signed in April 2014.

It allows US forces, contractors, vehicles, vessels and aircraft to conduct activities on agreed locations inside the Philippine military bases.

Such activities include training, transit, support and other related activities; refueling of aircraft, bunkering of vessels, temporary maintenance of vehicles, vessels and aircraft; temporary accommodation of personnel; communications, prepositioning of equipment, supplies and material and deploying forces and materials.

Roque did not give details when pressed what form of payment Duterte wanted from the US>

“Payment is generic. It can be anything. But what is important is the President said they have to pay. Wala namang specifics,” Roque said.

Roque said that the President was not after renegotiating EDCA.

“Right now, he wants compensation for the presence of troops and their equipment here,” Roque said.

“Wala naman indication si Presidente but he's just saying na 'yan ang realidad ngayon and that's the context by which he's demanding payment," he added.

"Because our military bases are really being utilized by the Americans for prepositioning their troops and equipment,” Roque said.

A diplomat privy to bilateral relations between the Philippines and its treaty all said that EDCA did not require Filipinos or Americans to pay for under

“There is no such provision in EDCA,” the diplomat told GMA News Online when asked if the EDCA provided for payment schemes between the two countries.

He refused to be named for lack of permission to speak on the matter.

“The [EDCA] agreement is premised on mutuality of interest and facilities built up will be for shared use,” the diplomat said. -NB, GMA News