No review: President Duterte moves to junk VFA

President Rodrigo Roa Duterte is firm in his decision in terminating the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) between the United States of America (USA) and the Philippines.

No Review, was the answer of the President when he was asked if there would be a chance for a review of the VFA amidst its impending termination. He has directed the country’s top diplomat Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) Secretary Teddy boy Locsin, Jr. to inform the United States that the Philippines will terminate an agreement allowing US military presence in the country

The decision came even after Locsin laid before the president the pro and con’s of its termination and the favored intention of the senators for a “vigorous review” of the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) to resolve sovereignty issues between Manila and Washington.

Balikatan exercise in Crow Valley in Tarlac'
(photo credit to owner)

Presidential Spokesperson Atty. Salvador Panelo said Mr. Duterte will issue the directive through Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea.

“I talked to him this morning. I asked him, ‘Mr. President, Teddyboy is saying you don’t have any instruction to write the notice of termination,’” Panelo said in a phone interview.

He quoted the President saying in response: “I’ll instruct the executive secretary to tell him (Locsin) to send the notice of termination to the US government.”

Sole authority in the country’s foreign relations

The DFA Secretary insisted that President Duterte is had the sole authority to scrap the VFA and the Cabinet members’ views were irrelevant.

“We need a President who blows his top when his country gets senatorial shet from the United States. Let me tell you this. He has the constitutional power and authority to abrogate any treaty for any reason especially an insult to our sovereignty,” Locsin said on Twitter

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Report from PDI

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