By Patricia Lourdes Viray
MANILA, Philippines — President Rodrigo Duterte has allowed American troops to build barracks in local camps as part of the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA), Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said.
Last week, the president threatened to abrogate the Visiting Forces Agreement after accusing the United States of building arms depot in the country.
The Defense chief, however, had clarified to the president that the US does not have plans of stockpiling weapons in the Philippines.
"Ewan ko kung saan nakuha ni presidente yung information niya but I corrected it. I talked to him sabi ko, 'Mr. President, first there was no construction yet sa mga EDCA camps. Wala pa. It will be constructed some time later this year or next year,'" Lorenzana said in a televised media briefing in Malacañan on Tuesday.
(PacificSentinel: Translation of the above by Google Translate - "I do not know where I got my information she's president but I corrected it. I talked to him I said, 'Mr. President, first there was no construction yet to EDCA camps. Nothing else. It will be constructed some time later this year or next year, "Lorenzana said in a televised media briefing in Malacañang on Tuesday.)
Lorenzana added that building an arms depot in the country is not part of the agreement with the US.
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