'Reckless' repeal of VFA may benefit China, ISIS —Heydarian

The sudden termination of the Philippines' Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) with the United States may benefit other parties with interests in the region, according to GMA resident political analyst Richard Heydarian on Wednesday.

"Without a question, ang magbe-benefit dito sa pag-abrogate ng VFA ay mga bansang katulad ng Tsina dahil may territorial dispute pa tayo sa West Philippine Sea," Heydarian said.

"In fact, yung alyansa natin with the US, isa ito sa mga dahilan kung bakit hindi pa na-reclaim ang Scarborough Shoal na puwedeng i-reclaim ng China anytime soon," he added.

Further, Heydarian said that the international terrorist group ISIS and its affiliates in the Southeast Asian region could also take advantage of the "security vacuum" that may be created by the President Rodrigo Duterte-ordered termination of the VFA.

On Tuesday, Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin signed and delivered the notice of termination of the said pact.

Heydarian said the VFA serves as the Mutual Defense Treaty's "software" that provides the legal framework for the entry and stay of US forces in the Philippines.

He underscored that joint military exercises, counter-insurgency operations, humanitarian assistance, and disaster relief operations from the US will likely be affected by the country's withdrawal from the agreement.

"Para sa akin ito ay medyo reckless at hindi sang-ayon sa ating national interests," Heydarian said.

Duterte earlier threatened to terminate the VFA after the US canceled the visa of Senator Ronald "Bato" Dela Rosa, one of his closest allies, due to his participation in the government's war against drugs when he was national police chief.

The US, as well as the United Nations and various international human rights groups, has criticized Duterte's campaign against illegal drugs due to the high number of suspects killed. —Dona Magsino/KBK, GMA News