EDITORIAL – Return of the US military bases

There’s a page on popular social networking site Facebook called “Yes To New US Military Base In The Philippines” and its following is all of a sudden increasing after the turmoil in the Korean Peninsula broke out.
Yes, like this Facebook page which is starting to get some attention, there is a possibility the United States might set up anew its military bases in the Philippines.
If need be. That’s the condition Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin dangled when asked about this scenario.
The 1987 Constitution is barring permanent bases for foreign military in the country. The US pulled its bases from the Clark Air Base and the Subic Naval Bay in 1991 after the expiration of their stay.
That provision in effect bars US bases despite the existence of a Mutual Defense Treaty (MDT) between the two countries. However, the prohibition admits of exceptions–when we enter into a new treaty and if it gains the Filipinos’ approval via a national referendum. Another would be what is called as “extreme emergency.”
Extreme emergency is a term loaded with definition and parameters. For such declaration, we see the probability of running to the High Tribunal for interpretation.
The question is why should a Korean Peninsula crisis necessitate the establishment of the US bases in the country, considering the fact that the Philippines is not a target of North Korea? At most, the target, apart from South Korea, would be Guam, if an American territory is targeted by North Korea.
The situation in both South and North Korea remained normal as of yesterday and there is no need to be restless for now.
Nevertheless, the statement by the defense chief can only be interpreted as testing the waters in order to elicit reaction from the Filipino people who must have already forgotten the issues of the US bases in the past.
Afterall, it has been 22 years since the US military bases closed down in Subic and Clark.
Like that pro-US bases return Facebook page, Gazmin could be putting this up like a social network survey at this crucial time in the Korean imbroglio. Let’s see if it gains following.