Expert says suspension of VFA termination could be related to South China Sea issues

Published June 04, 2020 10:50 AM By ANNA FELICIA BAJO, GMA News

A maritime law expert expressed belief Thursday that the suspension of the abrogation of the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) has something to do with the situation in the South China Sea.

Interviewed on Dobol B sa News TV, Jay Batongbacal, director of the University of the Philippines' Institute of Maritime Affairs and Law of the Sea, said there could have been an agreement between the Philippines and the US amid the temporary suspension.

"Ang assurance lang natin ay parang naextend 'yung termination process. Dito sa extension na ito, mukhang may compromise or some kind of agreement between the two countries, di natin alam kung ano 'yan," he said.

"Maaaring related nga rin 'yun (South China Sea) kung anumang compromise 'yun... di naman natin malaman exactly. Binanggit nga ni Secretary (Teodoro Jr.) Locsin na due to this development... itong pandemic is one of them tapos 'yung nangyayari sa South China Sea ngayong may pandemic ay isa pang factor... So maaaring may connection talaga doon," Batongbacal said.

China has been claiming areas in the South China Sea as part of its territory, but the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague invalidated this claim on July 12, 2016. Beijing has since ignored the ruling.

Batongbacal said China has been continuing its activities in the region despite the threat of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

He noted that resources of the country's security forces have been utilized in the government's efforts to curb the disease; therefore, there will be limited resources to respond once tension in the South China Sea rises.

"Dito sa Pilipinas, for example, ang Armed Forces ang implementor kasama ng PNP, dahil doon kumbaga hinihigop ng pandemic ang resources natin, pati na rin ang military, mga barko nila kailangan gamitin for relief efforts... limited na nga 'yun... kung mayroong problema sa South China Sea baka mahirapan tayo," Batongbacal said.

"Wala tayong choice kung hindi magtawag sa ating mga kaalyado para punan 'yung kakulangan. Mahihirapan sigurong magplano ng ganoong klaseng response kung alam noong dalawa na by August kailangan umalis ang kaalyado mo," he added.

Foreign Affairs chief Teodoro Locsin Jr. earlier announced that the Philippine government has suspended the termination of the VFA for six months "in light of political and other developments in the region."

According to Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana, Duterte decided to suspend the termination due to the health crisis, noting that the country needs assistance to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

Batongbacal said it is too early to tell if after six months, the national government will no longer terminate the agreement that has allowed military training between American and Filipino troops. —AOL, GMA News
 

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