Duterte rejects Trump’s invite; wants VFA scrapped

FILE: President Rodrigo Roa Duterte delivers his speech after leading the awarding ceremony for the 2019 Model Overseas Filipino Worker (OFW) Family of the Year Award (MOFYA) at the Malacañan Palace on November 28, 2019. TOTO LOZANO/PRESIDENTIAL PHOTO

MANILA — President Rodrigo Duterte has rejected United States (US) President Donald Trump’s invitation to attend the Southeast Asian leaders’ summit in Las Vegas, Nevada on March 4, Malacañang announced on Friday.

The cancellation of Senator Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa’s US visa prompted the President to refuse to fly to Washington this coming March, Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo told Palace reporters.

“What he said is he’s not going,” the Palace official said in a chance interview.

“(The President rejected the invitation due to) many reasons which I’ve already stated earlier and the other reason was the cancellation of Senator Bato’s visa. That added to the other factors,” he added.

This developed a day after Panelo said Duterte was “pondering over” Trump’s invitation to attend a summit between the US and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) in Las Vegas.

Panelo on Thursday said the President was likely possible to visit the US since the invitation was meant to bolster ties between the Asean and the US.

But in his latest interview, Panelo said Duterte changed his mind, as he was piqued by the “demand” of the US Senate to release Senator Leila de Lima.

The Palace official said the Chief Executive would not allow American lawmakers to “bully” the Philippine government.

“Syempre ayaw niya (Of course, he doesn’t want it). For one, as we said earlier, the demand of the US senators to release Ms. de Lima is an intrusion into our sovereign rights as a state because they cannot dictate on us or bully us into releasing a citizen of this country who is lawfully detained,” Panelo said.

Panelo was referring to the move of US Senators Richard Durbin and Patrick Leahy to introduce an amendment to the State and Foreign Operations Appropriations Section of the US budget program.

A provision of the US 2020 budget earlier signed by Trump, titled “Prohibition of Entry,” gives US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo the authority to prevent Philippine officials involved in de Lima’s detention from entering the United States.

De Lima has been detained at the Philippine National Police (PNP) Custodial Center at Camp Crame in Quezon City since February 2017 following her alleged role in the rampant narcotics trade inside the national penitentiary during his stint as Justice secretary.

VFA termination being processed

Panelo, meanwhile, said the President has ordered the “Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) committee” to “start the process of terminating” the pact between US and Philippine troops.

“Tinanong ko siya kagabi (I asked the President last night), ‘When will the process start?’ (He said), ‘Tonight,’” he said.

“I will leave it to Secretary Locsin. The process of starting (revocation of VFA) it has commenced,” the Palace official added.

The VFA committee is chaired by Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. and vice-chaired by Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana and National Security Adviser Hermogenes Esperon Jr.

Following the rift between the Duterte government and American senators, the President on Thursday warned that he would terminate the VFA with the US, unless Washington “corrects” the cancellation of dela Rosa’s visa in one month.

The President made the threat in a speech delivered in San Isidro, Leyte, a day after dela Rosa announced that the US canceled his visa.

“Unya karon si Bato di nila paadtuon sa America. (Now they won’t let Bato go to America) That’s… I’m warning you.

This is the first time. ‘Pag hindi ninyo ginawa ang correction diyan (If you do not make any correction), one, I will terminate the Bases Visiting Forces Agreement,” he said.

“I’m giving notice and they begin to count. I’m giving government and the American government one month from now, mag-istorya mi, pahawaon nako sila sa ilang Visiting Forces Agreement (for us to talk. I will terminate the Visiting Forces Agreement),” Duterte added.

Manila and Washington signed in 1998 the VFA, which provides for the treatment of American and Filipino troops when they are in the US or the Philippines.

Under the agreement, US forces are not subject to passport and visa regulations when entering and leaving the Philippines. Their permits and licenses are also deemed valid in the Philippines.

The US also has jurisdiction over its military personnel when they commit crimes in the Philippines, unless these are punishable in Manila.

The VFA can be terminated by writing to the other party about their desire to scrap the deal.