DZMM INTERVIEW ON THE BASES ACCESS AGREEMENT

I was just interviewed by Julius Babao and Nina Corpuz of DZMM about the bases access agreement with the US. I stated that I am strongly in favor because it will strengthen our Mutual Defense Treaty with the US in view of very clear external threats in the West Philippine Sea and KIG (Spratlys). It will also give our country economic benefits since US ships will need repair services and provisions like food, water and fuel. Access to bases means use of selected  AFP facilities by US forces. 

Julius said there are some congressmen (I believe the Makabayan Group) and others who are opposing and said it was better to just file cases in the UN and that the agreement would make the enemies of the US our enemies as well. I answered that we already filed a complaint in ITLOS or International Tribunal on the Law of the Sea, the arbitration body under UNCLOS. And that has really angered China. On the issue that the enemies of the US would also become our enemies, I said that may be true, but China is already inside our territory and they gobbled up Mischief Reef, Scarborough Shoal and I believe their next targets are our Ayungin Shoal and oil rich Recto Bank (Reed Bank. That's a real and clear threat. And we need allies to handle that threat. While the enemies of the US could become our enemies (like North Korea), it is also true that the friends of the US will also become our bigger friends and who are they?Japan. Australia, South Korea and New Zealand who are all treaty allies of the US. That's better company than North Korea. I also said AM SADDENED THAT THOSE NOISILY OPPOSING THIS AGREEMENT WITH THE UNITED STATES ARE VERY QUIET ABOUT CHINA'S OCCUPATION OF OUR MISCHIEF AND SCARBOROUGH SHOAL (BAJO DE MASINLOC) AND CHINA'S THREAT AGAINST OUR MARINES IN AYUNGIN SHOAL. AND THEY ARE NOT DEFENDING OUR FISHERFOLK WHO ARE BEING HARASSED AND CRUELLY TREATED BY THE CHINESE WHO HAVE INVADED OUR EEZ. PARANG GUSTO NILA MALUPIG TAYO AT MAGING ALIPIN NG TSINA. BAKIT KAYA?