WASHINGTON – United States President Donald Trump dismissed concerns Wednesday about the Philippines canceling the Visiting Forces Agreement, saying the decision would save Americans money.
The 1998 VFA created a legal framework for the presence of US troops in the Philippines and for organizing joint military exercises.
Manila announced its decision Tuesday – a move the US Embassy in the Philippines called a ”serious step” – touching off a six-month countdown to the end of the deal.
”If they would like to do that, that’s fine, we’ll save a lot of money,” Trump told reporters at the White House, touting his ”very good relationship” with President Duterte.
Famously outspoken Duterte has threatened since his 2016 election to put an end to the Filipino-American alliance, with an eye toward cultivating relationships with Russia or China instead.
He specifically mentioned a desire to do away with the VFA again in January, after the US cancelled the travel visa of Senator and former Philippine National Police chief Ronald dela Rosa.
The VFA is divisive in the Philippines, with Leftist and nationalist critics arguing it guarantees preferential treatment for US service members accused of crimes.
Its defenders said ending the agreement would compromise the Southeast Asian nation’s ability to defend itself and undermine the US goal of containing Beijing’s ambitions in the South China Sea.
Malacañang said it respects Trump’s pronouncement.
Presidential spokesman Salvador Panelo said it was “natural” for Trump to make such comment especially after the United States has long benefited from the military deal.
“We can understand. Again, as I said, when you do something that is unsatisfactory to the other side, natural lang iyon na may sasabihin sila. We respect that the way they should respect ours,” he said. (AFP and Genalyn Kabiling)
EDCA, MDT, TOO?
Apart from scrapping the VFA, Duterte may likely oppose the country’s two other defense accords with the United States in line with pursuing an independent defense strategy, a Palace official said yesterday.
Panelo raised the possibility of dissolving the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement as well as the Mutual Defense Treaty after the President decided that the Philippines must stop being a “parasite” to another country in terms of national defense and security.
The President believed the country must strengthen its own defense capabilities and “cannot be forever” relying on the United States for assistance, according to Panelo. (Genalyn Kabiling)
WAR GAMES STILL ON
The Armed Forces wants to maximize the remaining days it has with their American counterparts by pushing through with all the military engagements with the United States in the next six months.
Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said these engagements are within the 180-day period before the VFA is finally abrogated. The countdown started the day after the United States received the copy of the notification of cancellation of the agreement.
“With the formal serving of the notice of termination of the Visiting Forces Agreement, this year’s planned military exercises with the Americans shall proceed as scheduled within the 180 days that the VFA remains in force,” said Lorenzana.
There are more than 300 military engagements between the United States and the Philippine militaries this year. These include training programs, lectures, and military exercises. (Aaron Recuenco)
