Duterte repeats FALSE claim that U.S. has ‘so many bases’ in PH

In an exclusive interview with Global Times, China’s state-owned daily, former president Rodrigo Duterte once again claimed that the United States (U.S.) “[has] so many bases in the Philippines now.” He said this was made possible with the “consent” of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.

This is false. VERA Files has previously debunked similar claims from Duterte and his then-Foreign Affairs secretary Alan Peter Cayetano.

(Read VERA FILES FACT CHECK: Duterte falsely claims there are still U.S. military bases in PH and VERA FILES FACT CHECK: Cayetano wrong to claim U.S. has military bases in PHL, Taiwan)

The U.S. no longer has permanent military bases in the Philippines.

In September 1991, the U.S. shut down its naval base in Subic following the Senate’s rejection of a proposed treaty extending its stay. Three months earlier, the Americans had abandoned Clark Air Base, the other major U.S. installation in the Philippines, after it was buried in volcanic ash from the eruption of the nearby Mount Pinatubo and eventually closed.

The 1987 Constitution prohibits the continued stay of its bases in the country after the 1991 expiration of the Military Bases Agreement between the two countries. Section 25, Article VIII of the Charter states that foreign military bases, troops or facilities may be allowed on Philippine territory only under a treaty ratified by the Senate and, if required by Congress, by the people in a national referendum. The treaty must then be recognized by the other state.

In February 2023, Marcos granted the U.S. access to four additional Philippine bases under the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA) sites: Naval Base Camilo Osias in Santa Ana, Cagayan; Camp Melchor Dela Cruz in Gamu, Isabela; Balabac Island in Palawan; and Lal-lo Airport in Cagayan.

This brought to nine the total number of EDCA sites in the country where the U.S. can hold joint training, build facilities and store defense equipment and supplies.