Press Release
November 18, 2007

ROXAS TO GOV'T: DISCLOSE HOW IT WILL TREAT AJCEP
IF AJCEP WILL HAVE SAME SCOPE AS JPEPA, IT MUST PASS THROUGH SENATE

Senator Mar Roxas urged the government to observe total transparency about the prospective economic partnership agreement between the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and Japan, particularly how it will be treated vis-�-vis the Japan-Philippines Economic Partnership Agreement (JPEPA).

This, as he received information that a leaders' statement on the ASEAN-Japan Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (AJCEP) will be released during the ASEAN Summit in Singapore next week, and that the text of the forthcoming deal is now undergoing "legal scrutiny" and may be ready for signing early next year.

"It would be better for the government to reveal this early, in black and white, the characteristics of this AJCEP, particularly if it will have similar provisions or the same breadth and scope, and the same binding effect, as the JPEPA," he said.

He also called on the government to disclose its intentions on whether the AJCEP will it be treated as a treaty or only as an executive agreement, and its position on the AJCEP's legal bearing vis-�-vis JPEPA.

"Let's have an early understanding about the exact nature of this agreement before the Leaders' Statement is signed. This is part of the consultative process especially since this economic agreement may compromise our own interests and advantages as a nation," the senator said.

Roxas, Chairman of the Senate committee on trade and commerce, stressed that if AJCEP will have the same breadth and scope as JPEPA, then it should be considered as a treaty and should pass the Senate's scrutiny before its ratification. Furthermore, he said a definitive statement on the two agreements' relationship must be released, in particular, if AJCEP will eventually replace or supersede JPEPA.

"Sa lahat ng kasunduang pinapasukan natin, ang tanging lente na dapat gamitin ay kung ano ba ang pambansang interes, ano ba ang makakabuti para sa atin at sa ating mga mamamayan. Sa kasong ito, hindi natin puwedeng asahan ang bansang Hapon o ang ibang bansa sa ASEAN na gawin ito para sa atin," he stressed.

"Once more, we don't want the backdoor acceptance of an agreement that has yet to be proven as beneficial to Juan dela Cruz," he added.

He added that it might be better for the government to consult the Senate on the prospective agreement and provide it with copies of the draft prior to its signing and formal submission for ratification. Furthermore, he stressed that sectors to be affected should be consulted in the process of negotiating and finalizing the agreement.

JPEPA, which was signed in Helsinki, Finland last year, is now undergoing scrutiny by the Senate committees on foreign relations and on trade and commerce prior to the Senate's concurrence. As yet, the government side has failed to justify the benefits to be gained from JPEPA vis-�-vis its detrimental effect to certain sectors of the economy.

Roxas had debunked earlier claims by the government that JPEPA is just an executive agreement, insisting that the Senate must concur to it, as required by the Constitution.

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