A party-list group will seek a congressional probe on the frequent port calls of US nuclear submarines and warships in Subic Bay in relation to the constitutional ban on the entry of nuclear weapons into the country.
Gabriela Women Rep. Luzviminda C. Ilagan said in a statement yesterday that she will file a resolution that will seek to conduct an investigation on the contract entered into by US warship builder and developer AMSEC Huntington Ingalls Industries (AMSEC-HII) with Subic-based shipyard company Hanjin Heavy Industries Corp.-Philippines.
"Our Constitution explicitly bans nuclear weapons. The port calls of these US nuclear submarines being done supposedly for maintenance and repairs in Subic Bay is a direct breach of the Constitution," she said.
"If AMSEC-HII’s contract with Hanjin Heavy Industries allows this direct attack on our Constitution and our nation’s sovereignty, then it should immediately be canceled," she added.
The lawmaker said it is also important that Congress look into the process that transpired which led to AMSEC-HII’s partnership with Hanjin Heavy Industries.
"We have strong reason to suspect that this partnership is being used by the US government to effectively circumvent the Constitutional ban on nuclear weapons and reactivate its bases in the Philippines," said Ms. Ilagan.
The statement then cited Article II Section 8, of the Constitution which states that the Philippines, consistent with the national interest, adopts and pursues a policy of freedom from nuclear weapons in its territory.
Ms. Ilagan further said that the frequency of the visits and port calls of US warships and submarines in the Philippines supposedly under the ambit of the Visiting Forces Agreement and the Mutual Defense Treaty have remained unchecked.
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