'Ending VFA over US visa spat an insult to victims of US soldiers'

President Rodrigo Duterte's threat to end the Visiting Forces Agreement over a petty US visa tiff is a "childish bluff" that is an insult to the victims of United States soldiers in the Philippines, the Gabriela Women's Party said Friday.

"President Duterte's threat to revoke the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) for the sake of Sen. Bato Dela Rosa's US visa is an insult to women and children victimized by the continued presence of US troops on our soil," Gabriela said in a statement.

Duterte earlier said that he would terminate the VFA if the US visa of Senator Ronald "Bato" dela Rosa is not restored.

Dela Rosa on Wednesday confirmed the cancellation.

However, Gabriela said Duterte made a "cheap bargain for a treaty that justifies the free pass of American soldiers to launch war games and commit grave sexual offenses."

According to Gabriela, the premise of the termination should be the victims of US soldiers.

"[I]t should be based on Filipino women's long-standing rejection of US military presence in the country that has spawned numerous cases of rape, sexual abuse of women, and even the murder of transwoman Jennifer Laude," Gabriela said.

Transgender woman Jennifer Laude was killed by US Marine Lance Corporal Joseph Scott Pemberton in 2015.

Gabriela further argued that VFA and other "one-sided military treaties" must be scrapped even if Dela Rosa's visa is not restored. —Joahna Lei Casilao/LBG, GMA News