VFA on ‘hidden agenda’ of Hillary's RP trip - Miriam

(Updated 9:57 p.m.) Lobbying to retain the controversial RP-US Visiting Forces Agreement looms as part of US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's so-called "hidden agenda" during her visit to the Philippines this week, Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago said on Sunday. Santiago, who chairs a congressional oversight committee on the VFA, said the former US First Lady may ask President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo to disregard the Senate resolution seeking for a review or abolition of the agreement. “Bakit ka pa pupunta rito at bakit tayo masyadong excited na darating sya rito? Pupunta yan dito dahil sa VFA resolution ng Senado. Gusto nila manatili ang Amerikano sa ating bansa," she said in an interview on dzBB radio. (Why will she come here and why are we so excited about her visit? She will come here because of that VFA resolution. She wants the Americans to stay in the Philippines.)
"Misconstrued" The Department of Foreign Affairs meanwhile denied that the DFA is among the agenda of Clinton in her visit to Manila. DFA spokesperson Ed Malaya told GMANews.TV over the phone that Clinton has no agenda other than what she said, which was to express solidarity to the country’s typhoon victims. “There is no reason to misconstrue that. There is no rhyme or reason for it to be misconstrued," Malaya said. Malacañang said Clinton will meet with President Arroyo to discuss the 2010 automated elections, wherein the Philippine leader would assure the US official that the exercise would be honest and orderly. "Concerned" Santiago said the US is "concerned" about Senate Resolution 1356, which she drew up. “Di naman sa natatakot sila kundi (They are not afraid but) they are concerned about it. And I’m afraid they will pressure our president to disregard the resolution of the Philippine Senate. Nakakahiya naman kung ganoon (That would be a shame)," she said. The resolution seeks a review of the VFA and termination of the accord if the review is denied Santiago said the US may threaten to bring down trade quotas and impose other sanctions to pressure the government to retain the VFA. “Babalikan tayo ng US, ang trade quotas bababa. Basta magpaparamdam sila na ayaw nila sa ginawa natin." (The US will likely threaten us with payback. Our trade quotas may go down. The US will make us feel the consequences of junking the VFA.) Clinton will visit the Philippines November 12 and 13 before going to Singapore for an Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) meeting. Flawed accord Senate Resolution 1356 said the VFA’s fatal flaw is its failure to specify the period of stay of visiting forces and the failure to define what are the ‘activities’ that they can engage in while in Philippine national territory. VFA became controversial anew following reports that not only US soldiers have been overstaying in Mindanao but are also participating in combat operations against local insurgent groups. Santiago pointed out the VFA had failed to clarify matters in incidents such as a shooting incident involving US troops in Jolo, Sulu last September 14. According to her, the US troops are virtually “embedded in our armed forces," on pretense that they are training Filipino troops or giving military advice. Santiago rejected claims that the US troops were merely firing in self-defense, which she said is the first defense of any “idiot" before a criminal court. - with Sophia Dedace and Joseph Holandes Ubalde, GMANews.TV