Duterte orders start of VFA termination process
Credit to Author: Catherine S. Valente, TMT| Date: Fri, 24 Jan 2020 07:43:33 +0000
PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte has ordered the start of the process of terminating the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) between the Philippines and the United States (US), Malacañang said on Friday, as the two countries’ relations have turned “lukewarm.”
Speaking to reporters, Palace spokesman Salvador Panelo said the Philippines would no longer wait for the US to respond to the President’s warning giving Washington a month to reverse the visa cancellation of Sen. Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa.
“Apparently hindi na nasunod kasi tinanong ko siya kagabi (it was not followed because I asked him last night), when will the process start? [he said], ‘Tonight,’” Panelo said during a chance interview.
“The process of starting it has commenced or will commence today,” he added, noting he has relayed the order to Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro “Teddyboy” Locsin Jr.
Panelo said Locsin, who would be going to the US soon, has convened a committee to start the process of terminating the VFA.
“So, according to Secretary Locsin he’s supposed to be departing anytime a few hours from now to the US. But he said he has already called the committee to start the process and he has even already informed, I think, if I’m not mistaken, the Senate, about it,” he said.
Panelo said that Duterte’s decision was based on the accumulation of the US’ alleged intrusion into Philippine sovereignty, particularly on their lawmakers’ call to release Sen. Leila de Lima.
Dela Rosa, then chief of the Philippine National Police, was among several others, responsible for the detention de Lima on srug charges.
Also on Friday, Locsin tweeted that he and Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana were involved the process “by first contacting the Senate because it is a treaty on our side [and] an executive agreement on the US side.”
Locsin is the chairman of the Presidential Commission on Visiting Forces while Lorenzana serves as its vice chairman.
Following the rift between the Duterte government and American senators, the President on Thursday warned that he would terminate the VFA with the US, unless Washington “corrects” the cancellation of dela Rosa’s visa in one month.
US Ambassador Sung Kim, according to Panelo, has sought a meeting with Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea either on Friday or Saturday to discuss the development.
The VFA is a pact inked between Manila and Washington in 1999 which allows US troops to train and advise the Philippine military in its fight against terrorists but bans US forces in combat operations.
Under the VFA, the pact will remain in force until the expiration of 180 days from the date on which either party gives the other party notice in writing that it desires to terminate the agreement.
Panelo said it was still unclear whether Duterte could unilaterally terminate the VFA without the concurrence of Congress.