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Locsin: Philippines yet to send VFA termination notice to US; 'vigorous' review needed


The Philippine government has yet to send to the United States a notice to terminate the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA), Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. told a Senate hearing Thursday, adding a review of the agreement is called for.

Asked by Minorty Leader Franklin Drilon during the foreign relations committee hearing on the VFA, Locsin said he has already prepared the notice of termination but has yet to send it to the US as he is waiting for President Rodrigo Duterte's order.

"I have prepared the notice of termination but it has not been sent upon the orders of the President," he said.

"I prepared it and I specifically said that I will send it upon the direct personal order of the President and no one else."

Duterte earlier said he would terminate the VFA if the US would not restore the cancelled visa of Senator Ronald "Bato" Dela Rosa, one of his closest allies.

Ratified by the Philippine Senate in 1999, the VFA is deemed terminated upon a party's written notice of its intention to end the agreement, which becomes effective after 180 days from such notification.

In his opening speech, Locsin said there is a need to revisit VFA.

"There is value in revisiting the VFA to address issues of sovereignty such as jurisdiction and custody and early resumption of clarificatory talks should serve as basis, as well as jump off point for a  review of the VFA,” he said.

He said there are irritants that need to be addressed and the DFA has asked the US to clarify certain items pertaining to VFA to avoid any issues in its implementation.

Asked by Senator Francis Tolentino if his statement favoring a review and not a termination of VFA is a personal or his office’ position, Locsin said the DFA does not prefer one over the other.

"The DFA, at this point, has no preference for any of these options. At this point, I think,  a vigorous review of Visiting Forces Agreement is called for," he said. —KBK, GMA News

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