Duterte asking US for VFA payments akin to extortion – Robredo

Vice President Leni Robredo said on Sunday that President Rodrigo Duterte's attempt to seek payments from the United States in exchange for the resumption of the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) was similar to extortion.

“Parang extortion lang, parang ano, parang criminal. ‘Kung gusto mo nito, magbayad ka muna’,” Robredo explained on her radio program.

“Kapag sinabi nating ayaw nating i-renew iyong VFA, ilatag natin kung bakit. Ipakita natin bakit hindi siya nakakabuti sa atin,” she added.

For Robredo, Duterte's position on the issue was embarrassing.

She pointed out that the agreement was supposed to be anchored on the mutual benefit of both the Philippines and the US.

“Hindi iyong pera iyong consideration. Sa lahat na klase ng relationship, dapat hindi nakabase doon,” Robredo said.

“Nakabase ito sa parang mutual benefit ng parehong parties to a contract. Hindi naman dahil, ‘Kaibigan kita kung bigyan mo ako ng pera.’ Hindi iyon ganoon,” she added.

Recently, Duterte said that the US government should pay the Philippines if they wanted to resume activities under the VFA.

“I want to put notice, if there is an American agent here, if you want VFA, you have to pay. You have to pay because it is a shared responsibility,” Duterte said.

“Your share of responsibility does not come free because after all, when the war breaks out, we all pay,” he added.

The VFA allows American forces to hold joint military exercises, counterintelligence training, and engage in humanitarian aid missions with their Filipino counterparts. — DVM, GMA News