PH starts process of terminating VFA: Locsin

FILE: Newly-appointed Foreign Affairs Secretary and concurrent Representative to the United Nations Teodoro Locsin Jr. represents President Rodrigo Roa Duterte at the 12th Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) Summit and EU-ASEAN Leaders’ Meeting in Brussels, Belgium on October 18 Central European Summer Time. ASEM, a platform for dialogue and cooperation between Asia and Europe, is expected to reinforce its role as a catalyst for effective alliance of countries pursuing common goals as well as to bring out the pillars of partnership including peace and security, trade and investment, sustainable development, and people-to-people ties. PRESIDENTIAL PHOTOS

MANILA — Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin, Jr. on Friday has asked Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana to start the termination process of the country’s Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) with the United States following the order of President Rodrigo Duterte.

“Leaving for Washington DC on unrelated matters. But called Defense Secretary Lorenzana as Vice Chair — I am Chair of VFA — to start (the) process of terminating US VFA. Step 1 calling the Senate Foreign Relations Committee because on our side it is a treaty; on US side Executive Agreement,” he said on his official Twitter account.

The VFA committee is chaired by Locsin and vice-chaired by Lorenzana and National Security Adviser Hermogenes Esperon Jr.

“I as Chair of the Visiting Forces will merely send a note signed by me because the authority was transferred to the Secretary of Foreign Affairs. Simple. I am leaving tonight for Washington and New York on another matter,” he noted.

On Thursday, the Chief Executive threatened to terminate the accord with Washington after it revoked the US visa of Senator Ronald dela Rosa, the former Philippine National Police chief who implemented the administration’s crackdown against illegal drugs.

The government’s campaign against illegal narcotics had been criticized by the US, with some American lawmakers introducing a Senate resolution castigating the Duterte administration for the deaths related to the program.

In his succeeding tweets, Locsin said: “Duterte happens to be the President with the power to cancel Senate-ratified treaties unilaterally. So it is the President of the Republic that is taking responsibility for the drug war”.

Manila and Washington signed in 1998 the VFA, which gives clear instructions on how visiting American troops should be treated in 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.