Gringo presses creation of VFA oversight body

Sen. Gregorio Honasan sought yesterday the immediate passage of a joint congressional resolution creating an oversight committee to monitor the conduct of RP-US joint military exercises as provided for in the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA).

Honasan, chairman of the Senate committee on peace, unification and reconciliation, aired his call as the two countries prepare for the resumption of a joint military exercise called "Balikatan" at Fort Magsaysay, Nueva Ecija next month.

"The convening of a joint congressional oversight panel is one of our strong commitments to the Filipino people when we ratified the controversial agreement last May 1999," he said.

He said among the commitments of senators is to assure that the controversial agreement will be properly implemented and to ensure that Filipinos will be protected against possible abuses by the visiting US military personnel.

The proposed measure empowers the President to create a VFA exercise monitoring board composed of representatives from the departments of defense, foreign affairs, justice, environment, social welfare and private sector who keep a close watch on any RP-US joint military exercise in the country.

"We should send a strong signal to our American friends and partners that we are not short of memory. This time we mean business and we will not allow the repeat of any human rights or ecological abuse to happen again in the country," Honasan said.

Meanwhile, Immigration Commissioner Rufus Rodriguez said yesterday that the Bureau of Immigration is ready to process the entry of some 1,000 American soldiers who will take part in the "Balikatan" military exercises.

Rodriguez also said that the bureau has already finished the guidelines for facilitating the entry of the American soldiers.

Rodriguez said that under the Visiting Forces Agreement guidelines prepared by the bureau, American soldiers taking part in the exercises are exempt from passport and visa requirements upon their entry and departure from the Philippines.

Instead, they will only be required to present personal identity cards issued by the appropriate US authority showing their full names, dates of birth, ranks, branch of service and photographs.

Rodriguez, however, stressed that American civilians accompanying the US military soldiers are not exempt from passport and visa requirements, hence they will have to present their travel documents before they are allowed to enter and leave the country. - With Rey Arquiza