Proposed ‘conditional concurrence’ on JPEPA hit
INQUIRER.net | 01/18/2008
Proposed ‘conditional concurrence’ on JPEPA hit
By Veronica Uy
MANILA, Philippines — The proposal for a “conditional concurrence” of the Japan-Philippines Economic Partnership Agreement (JPEPA) only means that as it stands, the treaty violates the Constitution, a coalition against the agreement said Friday.
Earlier, Senator Miriam Defensor-Santiago said she would sponsor and defend on the Senate floor a resolution for “conditional concurrence” to the treaty to ensure that its enforcement would not violate the Constitution, particularly provisions explicitly giving preference to Filipino investments in certain sectors.
Santiago said she was drafting a resolution that "lists reservations and exceptions, constitutional provisions, and provisions on customs and duties," which will form part of the Senate ratification of the economic treaty.
“It does not make sense for the Senate to force the treaty’s ratification even as it recognizes its serious flaws,” Santiago said.
“The fact that the Senate could not make an unconditional ratification of the JPEPA affirms what No Deal! has been saying all along — that the JPEPA violates the Constitution, undermines the country’s economic sovereignty and long-term development, and poses a serious threat to the livelihood of vulnerable social sectors,” the No Deal! JPEPA coalition said in a statement.
At the same time, the anti-JPEPA group doubts whether Japan will accept the proposal.
Such a resolution, the group argued, “defeats the primary purpose of...JPEPA to maximize its exploitation of the Philippines’ resources and market.”
“The Most Favored Nation [MFN] and national treatment principles of the JPEPA, which violate the 1987 Constitution as admitted by Santiago, are the heart and soul of the treaty and therefore non-negotiable as far as Japan is concerned,” No Deal! said.
The coalition noted that the Japanese government has made a “take it or leave it” stance on the JPEPA, and repeatedly issued categorical statements that renegotiation was not an option.
“This means that any effort, including the resolution Santiago is drafting, that could compromise the substantial provisions of the JPEPA is not acceptable to Japan,” it said.
The anti-JPEPA coalition said that the best option would be to simply reject the economic treaty “not only to avoid a possible humiliation before the international community but more importantly because the JPEPA is unfavorable to the Philippines.”
