President Duterte has so far not changed his mind on the termination of the Visiting Forces Agreement between the Philippines and United States despite calls for its review, Malacañang said yesterday.
Presidential spokesman Salvador Panelo said the President stood firm on his position to scrap the VFA due to certain US actions that assaulted the country’s sovereignty.
“I asked him if his position has unchanged, he said ‘Yes.” Ibig sabihin ipapa-terminate niya talaga,” Panelo said.
Asked what could possibly change the President’s position, Panelo said he could not read Duterte’s mind and would not want to preempt him. “That will depend on the President’s thinking on the matter…whether he will change his mind will depend on him.”
But he said a person can change a position depending on the circumstances. “When we make a position, that’s our position at the time. If circumstances change, we also change our position so we really don’t know,” he said.
He admitted that the President reached the decision to scrap the VFA without consulting the Cabinet. But he stressed that the official family supports the President’s position on the matter.
“The President is the chief architect. Hindi siya kailangang mag-consult. Magaling na Presidente, abogado pa. Kung mayroon siyang doubts on certain areas, siguro that’s the time he consults,” he said. (Genalyn Kabiling)
