MAYBE it's just this writer, but one sees contradiction between foreign and defense policy pronouncements of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. in recent months and media statements just last Friday by Undersecretary Maria Theresa Lazaro of the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA).

Apparently referring to bases of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) to be provided for use by the United States military under the 2014 Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA), Undersecretary Lazaro said: "We have agreed to finalize the procedures for the additional agreed locations. In fact, it is a work in progress."

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