Aquino won't terminate VFA after Olongapo slay

MANILA, Philippines - President Benigno Aquino III on Monday rejected calls for the termination of the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) between the Philippines and the United States despite an American soldier's alleged killing of a Filipino transgender.

"Bakit natin kailangan i-abrogate ang VFA? Name me any place that doesn't have crime. The sin of one person, should [it] be reflective of the entire country? I don't think so," Aquino said in a media briefing in Leyte.

Aquino added that Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario and US Ambassador to Manila Philip Goldberg are working on resolving this issue of custody.

He said the two officials are also working to make sure that the American suspect will be available for both investigations and other judicial processes.

Private First Class Joseph Scott Pemberton of the US Marines is accused of murdering 26-year-old transgender Jennifer Laude in a motel in Olongapo City on October 11. He is believed to be currently held up onboard the USS Peleliu, which is docked at the Subic Bay Freeport.

The incident has reignited protests against US military presence in the Philippines and calls for the abrogation of the VFA, which is seen by some sectors as "one-sided, pro-US and anti-Filipino." Laude's family and other activists from the LGBT community have also called for the repeal of the defense accord.

Militant lawmakers belonging to the Makabayan bloc believe that the killing of Laude "highlighted the patently onerous provisions of the VFA on the custody of erring US troops, prescription of criminal prosecution and waiver of jurisdiction that essentially grant immunity from prosecution to US military personnel who commit crimes against Filipinos."

"The VFA has been widely and rightfully criticized as an onerous agreement that has paved the way for the permanent presence of US troops in the country under the guise of year-round military exercises and training," the Makabayan lawmakers said in a resolution demanding the repeal of the agreement.

Malacañang earlier said that the Laude case "gave stronger basis to re-evaluate the prevailing provision in the agreement to ensure that national interest will be upheld and justice is served to our people."

At least two senators – Miriam Defensor-Santiago and Francis Escudero – have called separately for a review of the VFA.

Read: Palace backs VFA review