Robredo says Duterte’s VFA threat for COVID-19 vaccines unnecessary, unhelpful

There was no need for President Rodrigo Duterte to threaten the termination of the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) with the United States if it does not deliver vaccines against the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), Vice President Leni Robredo said Sunday.

Duterte earlier said the US “better get out” if they fail to provide the Philippines with at least 20 million doses of a COVID-19 vaccine. 

“Hindi ko alam kung bakit kinakailangang gawin iyon… Kung nasa ayos naman iyong programa natin sa procurement ng vaccine, bakit kailangang may bantaan tayong bansa?” Robredo said in her weekly radio show.

“Maraming mga bagay na hindi natin kailangan at this point and iyong makipag-away na wala namang basehan, hindi iyon makakatulong. Gaya ngayon, alam natin na iyong pinakaunang nabigyan ng authorization na vaccine iyong… galing sa America,” she added, referring to the vaccines developed by Pfizer and Moderna.

The Philippines is currently in talks with Pfizer, Moderna, and several other manufacturers for a supply of COVID-19 vaccines.

Robredo said the government should focus on informing the public of its vaccination plan instead of making threats to other countries.

“Makakatulong kasi sa pagkampante ng mga tao na may hinihintay siyang isang tiyak. Ibigay sa atin iyong schedule: kailan ba darating, ilan ba iyong darating, sino ba iyong mauuna. Kasi at least alam mo kung kailan ka matuturukan,” she said.

Lawmakers were split on Duterte’s threat, with some arguing that it could be considered “blackmail” and was “totally inappropriate” and others saying the President may have made the remark out of frustration and a strong desire to provide vaccines to Filipinos. 

Malacañang denied that Duterte was attempting to blackmail the US, claiming that he was simply laying out the country’s independent foreign policy. 

In February last year, the Philippines moved to terminate its VFA with the US following the cancellation of former top cop turned Senator Bato Dela Rosa’s US visa. 

Duterte later ordered the suspension of the abrogation and extended it for six more months last November.  — BM, GMA News