President Corazon Aquino pressed her campaign for extending U.S. military basing rights by convening Friday a rare council of state meeting that apparently did not gain any converts.
"My reading right now is 10 for the bases, 10 against, with only three undecided," Vice President Salvador Laurel said of the treaty's chances in the Senate."Unless more people will be taken away from those who are against, we may not have 16 votes to ratify," said Laurel after the meeting.
A two-thirds vote, or 16, of the 23-member Senate is required to ratify the agreement extending for 10 years the 1947 bases treaty that expires Sept. 16.
The Senate Committee on Foreign Relations completed Friday a weeklong public hearing on the agreement and will submit its report and recommendation Saturday.
Senators said the committee could either reject the treaty outright or recommend more debate before a vote is taken, possibly on Thursday.
Laurel is an opposition lawmaker leader but shares Aquino's position that the agreement signed last week by Philippine and U.S. officials is in the nation's interest.
The agreement allows the United States to withdraw from Clark Air Base but remain for 10 more years at Subic Bay Naval Station, a repair and logistics center for the 7th Fleet, for 10 more years at $203 million annually.
Clark, home of the 13th Air Force, was damaged by the eruption of Mount Pinatubo volcano, now on its third month, and has been closed.