Duterte seeking US payments over VFA not extortion — Palace

President Rodrigo Duterte only pushed for “just compensation” in exchange for the continued presence of American troops in the Philippines, Malacañang said Monday, as it rejected claims the Chief Executive’s statement sounded like extortion.

Duterte earlier said the US should pay if it wants the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) to remain in place, a statement that Vice President Leni Robredo found embarrassing and compared to extortion activities of criminals

“Hindi po ito extortion,” presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said at a news conference.

Justifying the President’s remarks, Roque said the Philippines will not be spared in case of a shooting war between the United States and its foreign enemy.

“Napakalaking danyos ang pupuwedeng kakaharapin ng Pilipinas kapag tayo ay nadamay sa putukan ng isang giyera na hindi naman tayo kasali pero dahil naririto ang mga Amerikano at kanilang mga kasunduluhan at kanilang mga equipment eh pupuwede tayong maging valid military target,” he said.

“What the President wants is if you want to continue using our territory, we want just compensation for it. Hindi barya, hindi bulok na mga equipment. Yung mga dumating pong equipment, binili po natin iyan, hindi po iyan binigay.”

Roque also lamented the relatively small spending by the US for its security assistance to the Philippines.

Citing a report by the Washington-based think tank Stimson Center, Roque said the Philippines received a total of $3.9 billion from 2002 to 2017 for counterterrorism efforts while Pakistan got $16.4 billion.

“We think we should get something similar or close to that amount. But definitely, not the amount we are currently getting,” Roque said.

Roque said the Philippines can use the payment to keep the VFA for its COVID-19 response and other needs.

“Bakit hindi tayo sumingil nang sa ganoon iyong perang makukuha natin ay magagamit natin para sa COVID response natin, para sa libreng pakain ng ating mga estudyante, para po sa universal healthcare, para sa libreng patubig,” he said.

“Huwag naman nating ipagkait sa ating mga kababayan ang karagdagang pondo eh ngayong puwede naman talagang pagbayarin ang mga Amerikano para sa paggamit ng ating teritoryo.”

Demand payment from China

But for former Foreign Affairs chief Albert del Rosario, instead of demanding payment from the US to keep a military pact it signed with the Philippines, Duterte should seek P230 billion worth of damages from China for its massive marine destruction of the West Philippine Sea.

Del Rosario, who served as Foreign Affairs Secretary from 2011 to 2016 under the Aquino administration and led the Philippines' arbitral tribunal victory against China in 2016, called Duterte’s remarks “unfortunate.”

“The President’s position that the US should pay for the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) to continue—is a sentiment that is not shared by our patriotic soldiers and our countrymen who want to defend our West Philippine Sea against China,” said Del Rosario.

“Instead, it is a sentiment shared by the Chinese Communist Party, which does not want other countries helping the Philippines defend its waters.”

Duterte put on hold the termination of the VFA for six months last June reportedly due to the COVID-19 pandemic and developments in the disputed South China Sea, where the US conducts freedom of navigation patrols numerous times despite Beijing's opposition. He later extended the suspension by another six months.

In February last year, Duterte ordered the abrogation of the VFA, which allows American soldiers to regularly train with their Filipino counterparts in the country, after the US revoked the visa of his close aide and former national police chief now Senator Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa.

No specific reason was cited by the US on Dela Rosa's visa cancellation, but many speculated it was because of his involvement in Duterte's controversial war on drugs. — RSJ, GMA News