FILIPINO LEADER Rodrigo Duterte was strongly criticized for asking the United States to pay up if it wants to keep the Visiting Forces Agreement with the Philippines, a long-time ally of Washington in Southeast Asia.
Duterte made the statement at a military base where he told soldiers and defense officials in a speech “I would like to put on notice, if there is an American agent here that from now on, you want the Visiting Forces Agreement done (then) you have to pay.”
He cancelled the VFA last year after Washington banned Philippine officials in the unlawful detention of opposition Senator Leila de Lima.
Senator Panfilo Lacson, a former Philippine police chief, who criticized Duterte asked: “Why use strong words to send a message to a long-time ally when a civil, diplomatic and statesmanlike approach can be more effective?”
He said Duterte’s statement may have given the impression that the Philippines is a nation of extortionists. He said the Philippines needs the VFA, especially with recent Chinese intrusions into Philippine territory, particularly the West Philippine Sea.
Lacson, who chairs the Senate Committee on National Defense, stressed this as he pointed out one cannot put a price tag on the value of the VFA. “The President may have used strong words to send his message across to the US. But certainly, there is a more civil and statesmanlike manner to ask for compensation from a long-time ally using the usual diplomatic channels and still get the same desired results,” he said.
He added that while the Philippines - in pursuing the national interest - should make sure the US holds up its end of the agreement, diplomatic channels are a better route to accomplish the same results. “At least give the other party an elbow room to save face instead of looking bullied and stripped of dignity,” he said in a tweet.
Lacson said the last thing the Philippines should lose is the balance of power that its allies, including the US, “can provide to suit our national interest and territorial integrity.”
Vice President Leni Robredo also hit Duterte, saying, the president’s statement could be likened to an extortion. “Para sa akin, nakakahiya. Parang extortion lang. Parang criminal eh, kung gusto mo nito (VFA) magbayad ka muna,” she said.
Duterte also hit back at Lacson and Robredo, saying: “Itong dalawa, in short, si Robredo said that I was extorting money from – it is like extorting money from a friendly country. Ito naman si Robredo abogado, I can forgive Lacson because he is not, na they should look at the Constitution. The Constitution of the Philippines provides that the foreign relations or foreign policy is vested in the president alone.”
“Siya 'yong kaisa-isang, well, I happened to be there. Kung ano ang policy gusto niyang ipalabas for the Philippines is vested in the president and not with the senators or the vice president. So at least 'yong sabi nila na extortion, well, I can forgive Robredo. Every time she opens her mouth, talagang she forgets that she's a lawyer, and being a lawyer, she should know that the Constitution says that that is my function. It is not their function,” he added.
But Lacson took a jab at Duterte and said: “Mr President, read the 1987 Constitution. A senator has something to do with international agreements: Article VII SECTION 21. No treaty or international agreement shall be valid and effective unless concurred in by at least two-thirds of all the Members of the Senate.”
The US has not issued any statement on Duterte’s pronouncement. But last year, Trump reacting on Duterte’s cancellation of the VFA said: “If they would like to do that, that's fine, we'll save a lot of money. You know my views are different from other people. I view it as, ‘Thank you very much, we’ll save a lot of money.” (Mindanao Examiner)
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