By NITZ ARANCON
Correspondent
THE inclusion of Lumbia airport here as a place where the US could set up military facilities under the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (Edca) is pretty much final and would not likely change in the foreseeable future, the Armed Forces chief said.
In an interview with Gold Star Daily last week, Army chief Lt. Gen. Eduardo Año said the national government would not change its mind even with recent threats from progressive groups across the country of massive protest actions.
“Yun na mang protesta karapatan yan kahit sino sa isang demokrasyang bansa. Pero pagtingnan natin yung mga demonstrador, pare-pareho lang sila na grupo at mga mukha. Kahit anong gawin ng pamahalaan, palagi silang merong makitang issue,” said Año.
Año was in the city on Wednesday to grace the change of command of the Army’s 4th Infantry Division at Camp Edilberto Evangelista. He personally installed Maj. Gen. Benjamin Madrigal as the replacement of Maj. Gen. Oscar Lactao as the commanding general of 4ID.
Año said people need not be alarmed of Lumbia airport’s use for a US facility because Edca is necessary in bolstering the state security forces’ combat capabilities.
“Ang mangyari dito, yung mga US counterpart natin makapag-imbak na sila sa mga gamit para dito, makadala silang maraming tao, ibig sabihin, makagawa na tayo ng maraming exercises. Kung dati limited lang tayo, ngayon marami na tayong magawa na exercises sa buong taon,” Año said.
He added Edca aims to strengthen the military cooperation between the country and the US.
For his part, Cagayan de Oro Archbishop Antonio Ledesma said the agreement should still be open to public discussion even with the concurrence of the Supreme Court that Edca is constitutional.
“Dili ako magpa-ulahi kun dunay himuon nga public discussion sa Edca kay obligasyon gihapon sa simbahan sa pag-apil sa mga public issue nga nagdala sa interes sa katawhan,” said Ledesma.
Meanwhile, Año also reiterated that there is no presence of the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (Isis) in Mindanao.
“Walang Isis sa Mindanao. Pero merong nga armed group dito na pilit na kumukuha ng attention ng Isis para sila ay kilalanin at bigyan ng suporta. Kahit ilang beses nilang gawin yan kung wala naman sa palatuntunan ng mga totoong Isis ang kanilang mga ginagawa, hindi sila mabigyan ng acknowledgement at recognition,” said Año.
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