Cabinet security cluster to meet on VFA

MANILA, Philippines — A top-level discussion on the fate of the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) has been set at Malacañang this week in the wake of President Duterte’s threat to terminate the pact with the United States.

Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra confirmed yesterday that the Cabinet cluster on security, justice and peace will convene on Jan. 31.

Last Monday, the Department of Justice (DOJ) was supposed to submit a memo on its study on the possible termination of the VFA to the President, but that was put on hold.

Guevarra said he received new instructions to expand the scope of the study, to include a comprehensive and in-depth impact assessment on “the wisdom of the executive action” terminating the agreement. 

He said he had already met with the Presidential Commission on the Visiting Forces (PCVF), but that the wider scope of the study would require discussions with the Cabinet Cluster.

Asked if anything was decided in his meeting with the PCVF, Guevarra replied: “Not firmed up yet.” He said there was no substantial discussion on terminating the VFA, so far.

The justice secretary said the purpose of Friday’s meeting is for the Cabinet Cluster “to deliberate (on the VFA) and make recommendations to the President.”

Among the cluster members are the departments of National Defense, the Interior and Local Government, Foreign Affairs and DOJ; the Armed Forces of the Philippines; Philippine National Police; National Bureau of Investigation and the National Intelligence Coordinating Agency.

Guevarra said they will discuss implications on the security, economic and environmental aspects of the VFA as well as the impact of the VFA’s termination to the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA). 

The DOJ chief said as far as he knows, the President has not given the order to terminate the VFA because he is still awaiting the results of the study. 

“It is my understanding that the President has threatened, but has not given an order, to terminate the VFA. That’s why his office has requested us to study the potential impact of such termination,” he said.

Senators welcomed Malacañang’s order to expand its review of the VFA and its possible termination.

Sen. Panfilo Lacson, chairman of the Senate committee on national defense and security, described the move as “better late than never.”

“At least, Malacañang might have realized that a knee-jerk reaction to some petty and personal reason might have some dire implications on the country’s national interest,” he said.

Sen. Aquilino Pimentel III, chairman of the committee on foreign relations, is of the opinion that Duterte has not yet terminated the VFA as he gave Washington 30 days to restore Sen. Ronald dela Rosa’s visa.?“Hence the best that the other executive agencies can do is to start the review of the VFA; how to properly terminate it, what are the possible ramifications or effects and also conduct an audit of the benefits and disadvantages of having a VFA with the US, among other things that can be done,” he said.?Pimentel’s committee is set to hold a closed-door meeting this morning to discuss the matter.

Also yesterday, the Federation of Free Workers (FFW) expressed support for government’s move to have an impact assessment prior to terminating the VFA.

“Immediate termination (of the VFA) without transition might be detrimental to our national defense and security,” FFW board member Jun Ramirez said.

He said the Philippines’ defense capability is still weak, and with the termination of the VFA, other big powers may try to take advantage – like China’s incursions, for example.

“The immediate commencement of the abrogation would be untimely, given China’s aggressive occupation of our EEZ (exclusive economic zone) in the West Philippine Sea,” Ramirez said.

He added that while the FFW supports an independent foreign policy, the country needs to prepare its external defenses first. – With Paolo Romero, Mayen Jaymalin