The Philippines has suspended its decision to terminate its Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) with the US “in light of political and other developments in the region.” The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) informed the US Embassy through a letter, announced by Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro “Teddy Boy” Locsin Jr. via Twitter on Jun. 2.
The termination of the VFA was supposed to take effect on Aug. 9, 180 days after the announcement of its termination on Feb. 11. However, Ambassador to the US Jose Manuel Romualdez said that the decision to suspend the termination of the VFA is due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and the controversial developments in the West Philippine Sea. On Apr. 27, Sen. Risa Hontiveros urged the executive department to exert legal and diplomatic pressure on the Chinese government to cease all ecologically destructive activities in the West Philippine Sea. This includes the illegal harvest of giant clams, constructing artificial structures and imposing Chinese names upon more than 80 islands, reefs, shoals and ridges.
According to the DFA letter, the suspension will take effect for six months which is “extendable by the Philippines for another six months.” Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said that the VFA termination was not a timely decision “because of what’s happening worldwide” and confirmed that the Philippine defense establishment was ready to continue working closely with its US counterparts “to find solutions to common concerns such as the ongoing pandemic that has greatly affected both our countries.” Other officials including Sen. Christopher “Bong” Go and Sen. Richard Gordon agreed and recognized the importance of developing the government’s diplomatic relations with other countries during the global pandemic.
Aside from the fight against the pandemic, Sen. Panfilo Lacson welcomed the decision saying the country needed stronger defense alliance with the US in the recent dispute with Chinese “intrusions” in the West Philippine Sea.
On Jun. 2, the US Embassy released a statement welcoming the government’s decision to suspend the termination of the VFA.
“The United States welcomes the Philippine government’s decision. Our long-standing alliance has benefited both countries, and we look forward to continued close security and defense cooperation with the Philippines,” the statement read.
The VFA is a 1998 agreement between Manila and Washington to allow large-scale American military personnel in the country granting lax visa and passport policies for US military personnel. Moreover, the US government has the authority to retain jurisdiction over their military personnel if they commit crimes locally.
In February, President Rodrigo Duterte ordered the termination of the VFA despite facing a territorial dispute with Chinese vessels over the West Philippine Sea. President Duterte ordered its termination after Sen. Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa’s US tourist visa was canceled which Dela Rosa thinks was due to the alleged extrajudicial killings under his watch. On the other hand, Malacañang said that President Duterte’s order came from the US Senate passing a resolution to seek sanctions for government officials involved in the drug war and Sen. Leila De Lima’s detention.
Photo courtesy of Unsplash
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