Gabriela slams EDCA-TPPA ex-deal

By DELIA BAGNI
www.nordis.net

BAGUIO CITY – Members of Gabriela from various communities joined the massive waves of people from north and south regions of the Philippines that converged in a protest denouncing the exchange of military and financial favors between US president Barack Obama and President Benigno Aquino III at the nation’s capital Manila in time for the leaders meeting of the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC).

[wppa type=”slideonly” album=”85″]Any comment[/wppa]“Matagal pa ang pasko, pero nag-exchange gift na sina Aquino at Obama ng pagtiyak na matutupad ang Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA) at Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPPA) sa Pilipinas. Ito ang magtitiyak ng ganap na pagkawasak ng ating soberanya at patrimonya at kasama nito ang kinabukasan ng ating mga pamilya” (Christmas is still far away yet Aquino and Obama already traded traitorous gifts of committing the EDCA and TPPA to prevail in the Philippines. These will guarantee the total annihilation of our sovereignty and patrimony and with it the future of our families) Gabriela Secretary General Joms Salvador said.

She added that APEC will become the platform where the military and political agenda and its allies in Asia-Pacific are pursued. Imperialist powers are guaranteed the use of APEC lane in plundering less developed countries and force the poor to suffer not just traffic, but eternal ecological decay, slavery and loss of livelihood.

Salvador stated that on the joint press briefing after the closed door bilateral talks between Obama and Aquino, Obama strongly hinted for the Supreme Court to rubber stamp the EDCA as an insurance policy to maintain freedom of navigation, a thinly veiled dig at Chinese interests in the South China Sea.

She added that in exchange for Obama’s “rock solid commitment to the defense of the Philippines”, Aquino begged for Obama to facilitate the admission of the country to the TPPA.

“Women resolutely oppose the EDCA as its approval will mean letting more US soldiers to run rampage across the islands raping and killing our sisters like “Nicole” and Jennifer Laude. The TPPA meanwhile will mean more cuts in formal wage jobs for women, violations of our already weak labor laws, and spiraling prices of food and medicines. Through APEC mechanisms, TPPA will destroy our economy and environment” Salvador said.

“When the future of our country is at stake, we will never hesitate to defend it despite threats of arrests, road lockdowns, and other police initiated constraints” Salvador added. # nordis.net