PH government delays VFA suspension for another 6 months

The Department of Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. announced that the Philippines has decided to cancel its plan to terminate the bilateral Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) with the United States for six more months, November 11.

Locsin on his statement said that Duterte has ordered him to suspend the termination of the VFA for another six months "to enable us to find a more enhanced, mutually beneficial, mutually agreeable, and more effective and lasting arrangement on how to move forward in our mutual defense."

Critics, however, pointed out that this agreement only empowers state forces to exact violence to the people, who are at the losing end of this pact.

“The President’s extension of the VFA for another six months comes as no surprise,” said Renato Reyes of Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (BAYAN).

“Duterte wants continued US support for counter-insurgency operations and widespread human rights violations,” he added.

The VFA was initially supposed to expire by August after the Duterte administration had terminated the aforesaid agreement on February 11, but eventually decided to extend it for six months, from June 2 until the end of the year. Locsin said the extension is due to pandemic and Geopolitics.

Duterte had first broached his plan to dismiss the VFA on January 23, after the US canceled the visa of Senator Ronald 'Bato' dela Rosa.

The VFA is a military pact signed between the Philippines and the US in 1998 which contains guidelines and conditions for US military and civilian personnel who are temporarily sent to the Country.

Philippines was able to receive nearly $1 billion (P50.73 billion) in military equipment, training, aid and funding for various projects just from 2016 to 2019, Locsin said on a senate inquiry last February.

The Foreign Secretary also cited the $200 million (P10.14 billion) for aircraft, training, equipment and construction for the Armed Forces of the Philippines and $45 million (P2.2 billion) in foreign military financing for 2020- 2021 as few of the benefits the country is receiving from the VFA with the US.

In contrary to this enumeration, these 'benefits' did not come from America's goodwill. The VFA actually provides rules for the entry and departure of US personnel in the Philippines, the movement of military vessels and aircraft, and the import and export of equipment and supplies in connection with activities covered by the agreement.

The US can provide fundings for military purposes, in exchange that US military forces will be given the right to utilize Philippines' territories for their own purposes, which has since been abused and could possibly do more harm than good to the country's resources. And thus, leaves the Philippines short-changed since it is the weaker force.

After Jennifer Laude's murderer was given pardon last September, concerns about the liabilities of the US soldiers who have violated the law in Philippine soil through the VFA were once again raised.

Aside from the case of Jennifer Laude, another rape incident, frequently labeled the “Subic Rape Case,” involving four US marines and Suzette Nicolas, a Filipina, occurred in 2005. One soldier, Daniel Smith, was sentenced to 40 years in prison, but was just confined in the US Embassy in Manila instead in a Philippine jail, while the other three were acquitted.

Meanwhile, there was a recantation in 2009 and three Filipino justices ordered Smith’s release for a review of evidence exhibiting Smith’s innocence.

The step-back in terminating the VFA was days after Joe Biden was announced president-elect of the US. Biden is expected to take office on January 20, 2021, placing his administration in charge of negotiations on the military deal.

Duterte's decision also came after Philippine Ambassador to the United States Jose Manuel "Babe" Romualdez also said American pharmaceutical company Pfizer will ensure supply for the Philippines of its COVID-19 vaccine after it is approved for distribution.

The lopsided 'agreement' can only be invoked by one who has the power to enforce it, it is not in the concept of a mutually binding obligation, but a policy in pursuit of securing one’s interest, leaving the other party, in this context, the Philippines in peril.