By Jessica M. Bacud
TUGUEGARAO CITY – Governor Manuel N. Mamba of Cagayan did not hold back when he voiced his opposition and expressed his concern over the new military facility that will be established in the province, following Malacañang’s announcement of four additional locations for the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA) that have been inspected and evaluated by the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP).
Mamba repeated his opposition to creating a new EDCA site in Cagayan, citing his concern that the facility may serve as a “magnet” for strikes by US rivals.
“As I previously said it is the President’s call, but I disagree and continuously oppose EDCA sites in Cagayan because they are magnets of attack by US adversaries due to the presence of foreign forces (US Armed Forces),” he said.
Mamba expressed his hope that President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. will reconsider the decision, despite accepting that it is the Chief Executive’s call.
“I am still hoping that the President reconsiders his decision since there are five other sites being developed earlier. Cagayan is always a friend to our neighboring countries,” Governor Mamba told Manila Standard.
Mamba claimed that Cagayan had previously hosted major joint military training exercises and that if American forces were stationed there, it would directly harm the province if China invaded Taiwan.
Being the northernmost point of Luzon island, Cagayan province fronts Taiwan, which is just 200 kilometers away.
The governor believes the province was chosen under the recently extended bilateral military agreement with the United States, but that he had not been informed earlier.
The Palace has already identified four locations that it deemed desirable for EDCA installations that American soldiers would be able to access.
They are the Camilo Osias Naval Base in Sta. Ana, Cagayan; La-lo Airport in La-lo, Cagayan; Camp Melchor dela Cruz in Gamu, Isabela, and Balabac Island in Palawan.