MANILA, Philippines – Following a call from US President Barack Obama to President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo affirming his commitment to the long-standing US-Philippine alliance, including the controversial Visiting Forces Agreement, members of progressive and civil society groups launched a movement that would assert "national sovereignty."

The groups, led by Bayan Muna, Bagong Alyansang Makabayan, National Union of People's Lawyers (NUPL), Anakbayan, and concerned individuals also called on the public to join a protest action on March 21 while awaiting the Supreme Court ruling on the VFA.

"The continuing detention of convicted rapist Lance Corporal Daniel Smith at the US embassy in Manila is clear proof of the grossly unequal character of the Visiting Forces Agreement or VFA," the groups said in a unified statement Tuesday.

"And despite the Philippine Supreme Court ruling declaring the Romulo-Kenney Agreement illegal and that Smith should be returned to the custody of Philippine authorities, the Arroyo government has not sought to regain custody of Smith. Instead, the Arroyo government continues to insist that Smith should remain in the US embassy until the highest court finally decides on his appeal," they added.

The Romulo-Kenney agreement was signed by Foreign Affairs Secretary Alberto Romulo and US Ambassador to the Philippines Kristie Kenney that allowed the detention of Smith in a US facility in the country.

The group also reiterated that VFA was unconstitutional because it allowed the entry of an unlimited number of foreign troops for an indefinite period of time without any formal treaty.

Although the Philippine Senate ratified the VFA, the US considered this an executive agreement that was signed by then president George W. Bush.

"The Philippines must conduct its foreign relations based on mutual respect, mutual benefit and non-intervention in each country’s internal affairs," according to the statement.

“Junk VFA” signatories include former senators who voted against the VFA in 1999, led by Teofisto Guingona, Serge Osmeña, and Wigberto Tañada.

Senator Francis Pangilinan, principal author of a Senate resolution calling for the review and termination of the VFA, also joined the movement, along with Senator Ana Consuelo “Jamby” Madrigal.

"What is at stake here is our sovereignty and dignity -- our freedom and rights as a free country that have been negated by our government's submission to US interests. Let us reclaim our country's dignity with the termination of the VFA. Junk VFA, Junk GMA," said Madrigal.

Signatories from the Lower House are Representative Lorenzo Tañada III, committee on human rights chairman, Representative Teofisto Guingona III, and partylist Representatives Liza Maza, Satur Ocampo, Teodoro Casiño, Rafael Mariano, and Luz Ilagan.

Legal experts who challenged the VFA before the Supreme Court, led by former UP Law Dean Pacifico Agabin, Integrated Bar of the Philippines president Feliciano Bautista, and lawyers Romeo Capulong, Harry Roque, Evalyn Ursua, Vicky Avena and Neri Colmenares also signed the “Junk VFA” statement.

"The NUPL demands that President Arroyo be cited in contempt for refusing to negotiate the return of Smith as ordered by the Supreme Court, and for continuing to subvert the Philippine justice system and in fact negotiating on behalf of the US. The VFA violates Philippine sovereignty and it must be terminated now," said Colmenares.

"The Filipino people should be outraged by the further subversion of our justice system by the US and Arroyo government, when they pressured Nicole, who is now in the US according to her mother, to terminate the services of Attorney Ursua as her counsel. This US-Arroyo collusion is further proven by the failure of Arroyo to negotiate and demand from President Obama the return of Smith to Philippine custody as ordered by the Supreme Court," Colmenares told INQUIRER.net.