‘We will live without VFA’ - AFP Chief of Staff

Armed Forces of the Philippines will stand true with its mandate as the protector of the country,this even without the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) with the United States of America.

Naysayers have already said the negative implications of the decision of President Rodrigo Roa Duterte to terminate the VFA with the Americans, that it will negatively affect the national security of the country amidst the aggressive expansion of the Chinese in the West Philippine Sea.

Newly appointed Chief of Staff General Felimon Santos Jr. declared that the AFP will live without the United States’ VFA.

(photo credit to owner)

Santos said the AFP supports the decision of the President in scrapping the VFA with the Americans.

“It’s a political decision. We’ll support him,” the AFP chief said

“And we will live without VFA,”  Santos added, noting how the country managed to survive when the two nations terminated the bases agreement from 1991 to 1997.


Santos noted that during that time the Philippines did not receive anything from the United States.

“Wala namang nangyari sa atin (Nothing happened to us),” Santos said.

When asked which he prepares the VFA or the bases agreement, he said,  he would prefer to have the visiting forces pact with the US. 
The question was asked by Senator Joel Villanueva during his confirmation in the senate’s committee on national defense.

“Between the two – bases agreement and VFA – maybe we’ll go with the visiting forces,” Santos said.

But Villanueva said, “There’s also another choice, forego both. What’s your choice if you have three options?”

Santos said he will abide by the decision of the President.

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Report from  PDi

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