The Department of Justice (DoJ) has been instructed by Malacañang to conduct a preliminary impact assessment on the termination of the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) between the Philippines and the United States.
“We have just been instructed today to expand the scope of our study to include a preliminary impact assessment on the possible termination of the VFA,” Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra told reporters on Monday.
“I will ask to convene the cabinet cluster on justice and security and/or the VFA Commission for an in depth and comprehensive impact assessment,” he disclosed.
Just last week, the DoJ was told to conduct a study on the procedures regarding the termination and was supposed to submit a memo on its study to Malacañang this Monday. On the other hand, Guevarra clarified there has been no instructions yet from President Duterte to terminate the VFA.
“It is my understanding that the President has threatened but has not given an order to terminate the VFA,” he said.
“That’s why his office has requested us to study the potential impact of such termination,” he explained.
Guevarra admitted the study on the legal side of the termination of the VFA was easy but the overall impact would need closer scrutiny.
“Yung impact assessment ang kailangan ng masusing pag-aaral,” the DoJ chief said. (Jaffrey Damicog)
