MANILA, Philippines (Updated 8:16 p.m.) — The suspension of the Philippines' withdrawal from the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) with the United States as President Rodrigo Duterte "studies" the defense pact with the country's longtime ally and former colonizer.
Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. on Monday night announced that the president has decided to extend the suspension of the abrogation of the VFA for another six months.
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"The president conveyed to us his decision to extend the suspension of the abrogation of the Visiting Forces Agreement by another six months while he studies and both sides further address his concerns regarding particular aspects for the agreement," Locsin said in a video posted on social media.
SFA @teddyboylocsin announces President Duterte’s decision to extend the suspension of the abrogation of the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) by another six months. #DFAForgingAhead#VisitingForcesAgreement pic.twitter.com/tdqlcZ5lzt
— DFA Philippines (@DFAPHL) June 14, 2021
DFA executive director for strategic communications Ivy Banzon-Abalos said they are still waiting for guidance from Malacañang on the particular concerns that Duterte would like to look more closely into.
The president initially ordered the abrogation of the VFA in February 2020 after the US visa of Sen. Ronald dela Rosa, former top cop and architect of the administration's so-called war on drugs, was revoked.
On June last year, Locsin tweeted that the termination of the agreement will be on hold for six months upon the instruction of Duterte.
Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana then said Duterte's decision to halt the abrogation of the VFA was due to the COVID-19 crisis.
"We need to cooperate with other countries to fight the pandemic and I think the president (Duterte) thought that it's untimely to end the VFA at this moment," Lorenzana said told CNN Philippines in June.
In November 2020, Duterte ordered another six-month extension "to enable us to find a more enhanced, mutually beneficial, mutually agreeable, and more effective and lasting arrangement on how to move forward in our mutual defense."
In a June 1, 2020 diplomatic note to the US, Locsin indicated that "shall start on even date and shall continue for six months, which period is extendable by the Philippines for another six months."
This would be the third time that the Philippines asked for six months to put the termination of the VFA on hold.
Asked when the official end of the suspension will be, the DFA said they have to "check with our American Affairs office first on what the official reckoning date will be, usually it is from the time the other party has been officially notified."