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By APD writer Melo M. Acuña
MANILA, Jan. 24, (APD)-- A day after President Rodrigo Duterte warned the American government of the possible cancellation of its Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) should it fail to “correct” its cancellation of former PNP chief and now Senator Rolando “Bato” dela Rosa’s visa, Presidential Spokesperson and Chief Legal Counsel Salvador S. Panelo said the chief executive opted not to attend the US-ASEAN Summit scheduled on March 4 this year, in Las Vegas, Nevada.
The Visiting Forces Agreement came into force with the Philippine Senate’s ratification on May 27,1999.
Asked why, Secretary Panelo said there have been reasons mentioned earlier but the other reason was the cancellation of Senator Bato’s (Dela Rosa’s) visa.
“That added to the other factors,” he said.
He explained President Duterte believes the call of American senators to release detained Philippine Senator (Leila) de Lima “is an intrusion to our sovereign rights as a state.”
“They cannot dictate on us or bully us into releasing a citizen of this country who is lawfully detained,” he explained. He added the Americans introduced an amendment barring Filipino officials said behind the detention of the opposition lawmaker as “tantamount to our mind, as a disrespect.”
Secretary Panelo said they have already indicated who among the U.S. senators would be barred from entering the Philippines.
“So, the President feels that we cannot sit down and just watch idly. You must remember the Visiting Forces Agreement gives so many privileges and rights specifically to those are accused of crimes committed here by military officers. Apart from that, they can come here at will, their ships visit our country. So the process for terminating the same has started,” Mr. Panelo said in a press briefing at midday today.
He explained he already talked to Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro L. Locsin, Jr. who has convened the committee for the purpose.
Meanwhile, in his Tweet some four hours ago, Secretary Locsin said while he is leaving for Washington on unrelated matters, has already called Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana as Vice Chair to start the process of terminating the VFA. The Foreign Affairs Secretary sits as Chair of the VFA.
“Step 1 calling the Senate Foreign Relations Committee because on our side it is a treaty; on the US side an executive agreement,” the foreign secretary said.
Earlier, Defense Secretary Lorenzana said he understands why President Duterte is “peeved” by the cancellation of Senator Dela Rosa’s visa because of alleged extrajudicial killings in connection with the drug war.
“Most specially that Bato was specifically targeted. It is a direct affront to PRRD being the architect of the drug war that he started upon his assumption of office. He ordered Bato, then the newly-installed Chief PNP, to launch the drug war and enjoined the entire PNP to do their duties and pledged he would back them up. He is just being true to his promise,” Secretary Lorenzana said in a statement sent to Media practitioners covering the Defense establishment.
He concluded his statement that the “ball is in the US hand” as he said everyone will see how the Americas would react to President Duterte’s statement.
UP College of Law Associate Dean Jay Batongbatal said it is never a good idea to make national defense policy contingent on the convenience of one person, referring to the American government’s cancellation of now Senator Ronaldo Dela Rosa’s visa.
As far as University of the Philippines’ political analyst Prof. Clarita Carlos is concerned, the Visiting Forces Agreement is “part of the security fabric of the Mutual Defense Treaty of 1951, Security Engagement Board (SEB) and Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA).
“(It is) best to remember, too, that foreign policy can neither be tweeted or texted,” Professor Carlos, a former National Defense College of the Philippines president said.
Senator Aquilino Pimentel III, chair of the Senate Foreign Relations committee has not issued any statement as of this writing.
(ASIA PACIFIC DAILY)
