Saguisag vs. Ochoa
-# 0/A ga$e the "S the control of at least +; bases including Clar% and Subic base as ell as the access to use of !hilippine facilities such as 0actan 7sland Army and Florida /lanca in !ampanga
FACTS:
,# *!<"S 0ilitary Assistance Assistance Agreement Agreement as signed pro$ided pro$ided for the creation of 2"S0A= ( 2oint "S Ad$isory Ad$isory =roup and permanent stationing of "Smilitary forces in 0anila3
These consolidated petitions before the Court question the constitut constitutional ionality ity of the Enhanced Enhanced Defense Defense Cooperati Cooperation on Agreement (EDCA) beteen the !hilippines and "S# !etitioners alleged that respondents committed gra$e abuse of discretion amounting to lac% or e&cess of 'urisdiction hen they entered into EDCA ith the "#S# claiming claiming that EDCA $iolated $iolated multiple multiple constitut constitutional ional pro$ision pro$isions# s# hile hile *esponden *espondents ts argued argued that petitioners lac% standing to bring the suit# To support the legality of their actions respondents in$o%e the +,-. Constitution treaties and 'udicial precedents# HISTORICAL FACTS OF EDCA ( YOU MAY DISREGARD THIS) +# The defeat of the Spanish fleet at the hands of the "S na$al forces at the /attle of 0anila on 0ay + +-,- cleared the the day for the "S occupation in 0anila and the transfer of the !hil# To "S from Spain# 1# !hilippine independence as declared on 2une +1 +-,-3 4# Treaty of !aris as signed by "S and Spain on Dec# +5 +-,- hereby Spain ceding se$eral islands to "S3 6# 7n +,5+ +,5+ !res !resid iden entt *oos *oos$e $elt lt issu issued ed an e&ec e&ecut uti$ i$e e establishing the Subic /ay 8a$al *eser$ation3
orde order r
9# 7n +,51 +,51 *oos *oos$e $elt lt sign signed ed anot anothe herr E esta establ blis ishi hing ng Fort Fort Stotsenburg hich as later occupied by Clar% Airbase# ;# The as ensued beteen beteen !hil# And "S# The military military $ictory enabled enabled the "S to establish establish control control o$er the !hil# !olitically !olitically and economica economically lly## Successi$ Successi$e e military military go$ernors go$ernors e&ercising e&ercising military military e&ecuti$e and ci$ilian functions ere appointed3 .# n 0arch +6 +,6. Agreement beteen "S and phil concerning military bases as signed# ( president *o&as and "S)
+5# 0utual Defense Treaty as signed in ashington# 0DT lasted for 19 years# $er the years "S military bases in the country ser$ed as launching launching sites for "S in$ol$ement in$ol$ement in $arious $arious ars such as >ietnam ar# ++# ++# 7n +,-. +,-. the !hil !hil consti constitut tution ion as as ratifi ratified ed hich hich e&plic e&plicitl itly y prohibits foreign military bases troops and facilities in the country beyond the year +,,+ e&cept under a treaty concurred by Senate# Therafter !hil# Senate $oted not to rene the 0DT# +1# ?oe$er on 0ay 1. +,,, the !hil Senate ratified the *!<"S >isiting Forces Agreement (>FA)# +4# !etitioner /ayan challenged the Constitutionality of >FA but the agreement as upheld as $alid# +6# 7n 1551 /ali%atan as launched to send "S troops to 0indanao to assist !hil forces in the ar on terror against Abu Sayaff# +9# n Sep# 14 155, in the light of the Subic rape case and after hearings regarding >FA Senate paased a resolution calling on the E&ecuti$e to renegotiate the >FA and if the "S refused issue a notice of termination of the agreement +;# 7n 15+1 !res# bama announced its strategic pi$ot toards Asia as laid don in Sustaining "S global leadership priorities for 1+ st century century defense see%ing see%ing to deploy deploy ;5@ of its arship arship to Asia# Asia# Thereafte Thereafter r dialogues dialogues ere made in ashing ashington ton # The dialogue ended ith the !hil# Delegation clearly upon the instruction of !res# Aquino agreeing to adopt a policy of increased of rotational presence presence of "S troops troops increased increased military military e&ercises e&ercises and more frequent port calls by the "S ships#
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+.# 7n 15+4 "SE A=*EE0E8T 8T 8EED78= T?E SE8ATEBS C8C"**E8CE# The negotiators the changed the name of the frameor% agreement to EDCA ( enhanced defense cooperation Agreement) +- April 1- 15+6 DFA Sec# =amin and "S Ambassador to !h# !hilip =oldberg signed the EDCA# +,# 7t as only on April 1, 15+6 the te&t of EDCA as made publicy a$ailable $ia go$ernment ebsites# 15# Finding EDCA grossly one
ases* #oo+s* o 'acii#ies- o i$+e$e"# a" e&is#i"g a, o #ea#%.
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The Pesi!e"# ha! #he choice #o e"#e i"#o EDCA % ,a% o' a e&ecu#ive agee$e"# o a #ea#%. o cou# ca" #e #he Pesi!e"# #o !esis# 'o$ choosi"g a" e&ecu#ive agee$e"# ove a #ea#% #o e$o!% a" i"#e"a#io"a agee$e"#* u"ess #he case 'as s/uae% ,i#hi" A#ice 0III* Sec#io" 12. E&ecu#ive agee$e"#s $a% cove #he $a##e o' 'oeig" $ii#a% 'oces i' i# $ee% i"voves !e#ai a!3us#$e"#s. The e&ecu#ive agee$e"# $us# "o# go e%o"! #he +aa$e#es* i$i#a#io"s* a"! s#a"!a!s se# % #he a, a"!4o #ea#% #ha# #he 'o$e +u+o#s #o i$+e$e"#- a"! $us# "o# u"!u% e&+a"! #he i"#e"a#io"a oiga#io" e&+ess% $e"#io"e! o "ecessai% i$+ie! i" #he a, o #ea#%. The e&ecu#ive agee$e"# $us# e co"sis#e"# ,i#h #he Co"s#i#u#io"* as ,e as ,i#h e&is#i"g a,s a"! #ea#ies. I" igh# o' #he Pesi!e"#5s choice #o e"#e i"#o EDCA i" #he 'o$ o' a" e&ecu#ive agee$e"#* es+o"!e"#s ca% #he u!e" o' +ovi"g #ha# i# is a $ee i$+e$e"#a#io" o' e&is#i"g a,s a"! #ea#ies co"cue! i" % #he Se"a#e. EDCA $us# #hus e cae'u% !issec#e! #o asce#ai" i' i# e$ai"s ,i#hi" #he ega +aa$e#es o' a vai! e&ecu#ive agee$e"#. EDCA is co"sis#e"# ,i#h #he co"#e"#* +u+ose* a"! 'a$e,o6 o' #he MDT a"! #he 0FA The s#a#i"g +oi"# o' ou a"a%sis is #he ue #ha# 7a" e&ecu#ive agee$e"# && & $a% "o# e use! #o a$e"! a #ea#%. 8o#h #he his#o% a"! i"#e"# o' #he Mu#ua De'e"se Tea#% a"! #he 0FA su++o# #he co"cusio" #ha# co$a#ea#e! ac#ivi#ies as o++ose! #o co$a# i#se' such as #he o"e su3ec# o' #he i"s#a"# +e#i#io"* ae i"!ee! au#hoi9e!. He"ce* eve" i' EDCA ,as o"e o' $ii#a% "ecessi#%* i# ca""o# e sai! #o have s#a%e! 'o$ #he i"#e"# o' #he 0FA
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si"ce EDCA5s co$a#ea#e! co$+o"e"#s ae ao,e! u"!e #he #ea#%.
A"o#he !i''ee"ce is #ha# EDCA su++ose!% i"#o!uces a "e, co"ce+# "o# co"#e$+a#e! i" #he 0FA o #he MDT: Agee! Loca#io"s* Co"#ac#os* Pe +osi#io"i"g* a"! O+ea#io"a Co"#o. As +evious% $e"#io"e!* #hese +oi"#s sha e a!!esse! 'u% a"! i"!ivi!ua% i" #he a##e a"a%sis o' EDCA5s +ovisio"s. Ho,eve* i# $us# aea!% e cai'ie! #ha# #he #e$s a"! !e#ais use! % a" i$+e$e"#i"g agee$e"# "ee! "o# e 'ou"! i" #he $o#he #ea#%. The% $us# e souce 'o$ #he au#hoi#% !eive! 'o$ #he #ea#%* u# ae "o# "ecessai% e&+esse! ,o!'o,o! i" #he $o#he #ea#%.
!hilippinesG plainly refers to the entry of facilities in the country#
bases troops or
7t is e$ident that the co"s#i#u#io"a es#ic#io" e'es soe% #o #he i"i#ia e"#% o' #he 'oeig" $ii#a% ases* #oo+s* o 'acii#ies. nce entry is authoried the subsequent acts are thereafter sub'ect only to the limitations pro$ided by the rest of the Constitution and !hilippine la and not to the Section 19 requirement of $alidity through a treaty# The >FA has already alloed the entry of troops in the !hilippines# This Court stated in im $# E&ecuti$e Secretary: Thus* EDCA ca" e i" #he 'o$ o' a" e&ecu#ive agee$e"#* si"ce i# $ee% i"voves 7a!3us#$e"#s i" !e#ai7 i" #he i$+e$e"#a#io" o' #he MDT a"! #he 0FA. 7t points out that there are e&isting treaties beteen the !hilippines and the "#S# that ha$e already been concurred in by the !hilippine Senate and ha$e thereby met the requirements of the Constitution under Section 19# /ecause of the status of these prior agreements respondent emphasies that EDCA need not be transmitted to the Senate#
8. Mea",hie* #he +o,e o' #he Pesi!e"# #o e"#e i"#o i"!i"g e&ecu#ive agee$e"#s ,i#hou# Se"a#e co"cue"ce is aea!% ,ees#aishe! i" #his 3uis!ic#io". Although the pro$ision of Section 19 Article >777 of the Constitution pro$ides that:
Therefore the !resident may generally enter into e&ecuti$e agreements sub'ect to limitations defined by the Constitution and may be in furtherance of a treaty already concurred in by the Senate#
SECT78 19# After the e&piration in +,,+ of the Agreement beteen the *epublic of the !hilippines and the "nited States of America concerning 0ilitary /ases foreign military bases troops or facilities shall not be alloed in the !hilippines except under a treaty duly concurred in by the Senate and, when the Congress so requires, ratified by a majority of the votes by cast the people in a national referendum held for that purpose, and recognized as a treaty by the other contracting State.
The duty to faithfully e&ecute the las of the land is inherent in e&ecuti$e poer and is intimately related to the other e&ecuti$e functions# These functions include the faithful e&ecution of the la in autonomous regions3 the right to prosecute crimes3 the implementation of transportation pro'ects3 #he !u#% #o e"sue co$+ia"ce ,i#h #ea#ies* e&ecu#ive agee$e"#s and e&ecuti$e orders3 the authority to deport undesirable aliens3 the conferment of national aards under the !residentHs 'urisdiction3 and the o$erall administration and control of the e&ecuti$e department# These obligations are as broad as they sound for a !resident cannot function ith crippled hands but must be capable of securing the rule of la#
The effect of this statement is surprisingly profound for if ta%en literally the phrase Gshall not be alloed in the
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E&ecu#ive agee$e"#s $a% !is+e"se ,i#h #he e/uie$e"# o' Se"a#e co"cue"ce ecause o' #he ega $a"!a#e ,i#h ,hich #he% ae co"cu!e!. As cue! 'o$ #he !eiea#io"s o' #he Co"s#i#u#io"a Co$$issio"* +as# Su+e$e Cou# Decisio"s* a"! ,o6s o' "o#e! schoas* e&ecu#ive agee$e"#s $ee% i"vove aa"ge$e"#s o" #he i$+e$e"#a#io" o' e&is#i"g +oicies* ues* a,s* o agee$e"#s. The% ae co"cu!e! (;) #o a!3us# #he !e#ais o' a #ea#%- (1) +usua"# #o o u+o" co"'i$a#io" % a" ac# o' #he Legisa#ue-o (<) i" #he e&ecise o' #he Pesi!e"#5s i"!e+e"!e"# +o,e. Fis#* e&ecu#ive agee$e"#s $us# e$ai" #aceae #o a" e&+ess o i$+ie! au#hoi9a#io" u"!e #he Co"s#i#u#io"* s#a#u#es* o #ea#ies. The ase"ce o' #hese +ece!e"#s +u#s #he vai!i#% a"! e''ec#ivi#% o' e&ecu#ive agee$e"#s u"!e seious /ues#io" 'o #he $ai" 'u"c#io" o' #he E&ecu#ive is #o e"'oce #he Co"s#i#u#io" a"! #he a,s e"ac#e! % #he Legisa#ue* "o# #o !e'ea# o i"#e'ee i" #he +e'o$a"ce o' #hese ues. I" su$* e&ecu#ive agee$e"#s ca""o# cea#e "e, i"#e"a#io"a oiga#io"s #ha# ae "o# e&+ess% ao,e! o easo"a% i$+ie! i" #he a, #he% +u+o# #o i$+e$e"#. Seco"!* #ea#ies ae* % #hei ve% "a#ue* co"si!ee! su+eio #o e&ecu#ive agee$e"#s. Tea#ies ae +o!uc#s o' #he ac#s o' #he E&ecu#ive a"! #he Se"a#e u"i6e e&ecu#ive agee$e"#s* ,hich ae soe% e&ecu#ive ac#io"s. 8ecause o' egisa#ive +a#ici+a#io" #hough #he Se"a#e* a #ea#% is ega!e! as ei"g o" #he sa$e eve as a s#a#u#e. I' #hee is a" ieco"ciae co"'ic#* a a#e a, o #ea#% #a6es +ece!e"ce ove o"e #ha# is +io. A" e&ecu#ive agee$e"# is
#ea#e! !i''ee"#%. E&ecu#ive agee$e"#s #ha# ae i"co"sis#e"# ,i#h ei#he a a, o a #ea#% ae co"si!ee! i"e''ec#ive. 8o#h #%+es o' i"#e"a#io"a agee$e"# ae "eve#heess su3ec# To #he su+e$ac% o' #he Co"s#i#u#io". This ue !oes "o# i$+%* #hough* #ha# #he Pesi!e"# is give" ca#e a"che #o e&ecise #his !isce#io". A#hough #he Chie' E&ecu#ive ,ie!s #he e&cusive au#hoi#% #o co"!uc# ou 'oeig" ea#io"s* #his +o,e $us# s#i e e&ecise! ,i#hi" #he co"#e&# a"! #he +aa$e#es se# % #he Co"s#i#u#io"* as ,e as % e&is#i"g !o$es#ic a"! i"#e"a#io"a a,s. Thee ae co"s#i#u#io"a +ovisio"s #ha# es#ic# o i$i# #he Pesi!e"#5s +eoga#ive i" co"cu!i"g i"#e"a#io"a agee$e"#s* such as #hose #ha# i"vove #he 'oo,i"g:
;. The +oic% o' 'ee!o$ 'o$ "ucea ,ea+o"s ,i#hi" Phii++i"e #ei#o% 1. The 'i&i"g o' #ai'' a#es* i$+o# a"! e&+o# /uo#as* #o""age a"! ,ha'age !ues* a"! o#he !u#ies o i$+os#s* ,hich $us# e +usua"# #o #he au#hoi#% ga"#e! % Co"gess <. The ga"# o' a"% #a& e&e$+#io"* ,hich $us# e +usua"# #o a a, co"cue! i" % a $a3oi#% o' a #he Me$es o' Co"gess. The co"#ac#i"g o guaa"#eei"g* o" eha' o' #he Phii++i"es* o' 'oeig" oa"s #ha# $us# e +evious% co"cue! i" % #he Mo"e#a% 8oa!.
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