* Depot will impact on security and will draw the country in conflicts DAVAO CITY – Davao City Councilor Pamela Librado-Morata urged the City Council on Tuesday, April 21, to adopt a resolution opposing any proposal that could compromise people’s security and the country’s sovereignty, particularly amid reports of a possible foreign military fuel facility in the area.
In a privilege speech during the 21st City Council’s regular session at the Sangguniang Panlungsod, Morata called on her fellow lawmakers to reject initiatives that could turn Davao and the Philippines into a proxy in foreign conflicts.
The chairperson of the Committee on Labor and Employment and the Committee on Human Rights raised concerns over reports that the United States is seeking to establish a military oil depot in Davao.
She warned that the proposed facility, reportedly intended to support US operations in the Indo-Pacific, should not be treated as a routine infrastructure project. Instead, she described it as a strategic military installation with implications for national security and foreign policy.
Morata cited existing defense arrangements, such as the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement, the Mutual Defense Treaty, and the Visiting Forces Agreement, as possible frameworks for pursuing such a facility.
She said these developments should be examined within the broader global security environment, noting that military logistics infrastructure could draw the Philippines into conflicts in which it is not directly involved.
The councilor also warned that fuel depots and similar installations may become potential targets during wartime, putting nearby civilian communities at risk.
She added that hosting a refueling hub could expose the country to retaliation, citing cases in which nations that hosted foreign military facilities became vulnerable during periods of geopolitical tension.
Morata said any escalation in regional conflicts could affect local communities through safety risks, disruptions, and economic consequences.
She also questioned the timing of the reported proposal, noting that the facility reportedly has a capacity of up to 42 million gallons of fuel annually.
Reports indicated that the Defense Logistics Agency aims to establish storage for about 977,000 barrels of US government-owned fuel intended for warships and aircraft over the next 4 years.
Morata argued that the project is being discussed at a time when Filipinos are facing rising fuel costs, job losses, and economic uncertainty, and that domestic energy concerns should be prioritized.
She also raised constitutional considerations, citing provisions of the 1987 Constitution of the Philippines mandating an independent foreign policy anchored on national sovereignty and national interest.
The councilor emphasized that allowing foreign military logistics infrastructure could run counter to this principle and undermine the country’s independence and neutrality in international affairs.
Morata said the Philippines should maintain a policy that prioritizes national interest and ensures that local territory serves Filipinos.
Earlier, the Davao City government also expressed opposition to any plan to build foreign military infrastructure within its jurisdiction, warning that such proposals would face resistance.
City Information Office head Harvey Lanticse said the local government does not support the establishment of foreign military facilities in the city.
The city’s position emerged amid national discussions on the possible expansion of US military presence in the Philippines under the 2014 Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement. (
Photo via Ivy Tejano)
