US, Philippines reaffirm alliance, but no mention of VFA

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippines and the United States have reaffirmed their strong security, cultural and economic ties, days after President Duterte ordered the termination of the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA).

Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. and Deputy State Secretary Stephen Biegun reaffirmed “the value of the US-Philippine alliance based on the deep, historic friendship and mutual respect between our two countries” during their meeting in Washington, the US State Department said in a statement yesterday.

The two officials discussed the importance of the US-Philippines partnership in dealing with the current global health challenges and in achieving a fully verified denuclearization of North Korea, the State Department said.

They also expressed their commitment to ensure “a free and open Indo-Pacific in which all countries prosper side by side as sovereign, independent states.”

The DFA has so far not released a statement regarding Locsin’s visit to the US. However, the country’s top diplomat earlier said his visit to Washington has nothing to do with the VFA.

“Leaving for Wash DC on unrelated matters. But called @dndphl Sec Lorenzana as Vice Chair – I am Chair of VFA – to start process of terminating USVFA,” Locsin said in a Twitter post on Jan. 24.

Duterte’s directive to scrap the two-decade-old VFA came on the heels of the US cancellation of the visa of Sen. Ronald dela Rosa, one of his closest allies. The President also ordered all members of his Cabinet not to travel to the US.

Signed in 1998, the VFA accorded legal status to thousands of US troops who were rotated in the country for regular military exercises and humanitarian assistance operations.

Despite the President’s order to abrogate the VFA, Philippine and US forces started this week month-long joint exercises.

The Senate is set to hold a public hearing on the VFA next week.