Robredo, Lacson ‘within their rights’ to speak on VFA issue — Hontiveros

MANILA, Philippines — Senator Risa Hontiveros came to the defense of Vice President Leni Robredo and Senator Panfilo Lacson, who earned the ire of President Rodrigo Duterte for criticizing his demand for payment for the retention of the country’s Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) with the United States.

Both Robredo and Lacson are “well within their rights” to speak on the matter, Hontiveros said in an interview on ABS-CBN Channel when asked about the President’s rants against the two officials.

“The last time I checked, the vice president is still a member of the executive and may correctly pronounce on such issues. So I don’t appreciate VP Leni being told not to open her mouth,” Hontiveros said.

“As per Senator Ping, ang VFA naman ay dumadaloy mula sa Mutual Defense Treaty and every lawyer worth his or her salt also knows that the Senate is the treaty-making body of our country. Kaya si Senator Ping naman ay well within his rights to speak about an executive agreement flowing from a treaty,” she added.

The VFA, which took effect in 1999 after the Senate’s ratification, provides a mechanism for visiting American soldiers and serves as the foundation for military exercises and humanitarian work.

The President — whose administration sought to increase the Philippines’ share of the US’ military aid to $16 billion, comparable to the aid it was supposedly infusing in war-torn Pakistan — recently castigated Robredo and Lacson for earlier likening his demand for payment for the VFA retention as “extortion.”

Duterte said Lacson has “nothing to do with” the issue, while he told Robredo that “foreign policy is vested in the president alone.”

Malacañang has since claimed that demanding the US to pay to keep the VFA is “not extortion” since their payment can be used in the country’s Covid-19 response and other government services.

Reacting to the President’s remarks against him, Lacson advised the chief executive to read the Constitution, where it is stated that “[n]o treaty or international agreement shall be valid and effective unless concurred in by at least two-thirds of all the Members of the Senate.”

The President pulled out from the VFA in February last year. The process of the VFA termination, however, has been held off twice, first in June 2020 and a second time in November 2020.

Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. has said the Philippines and the US will iron out its differences over the VFA this month.

Hontiveros, meanwhile, expressed support for the review of the terms and conditions of the pact.

“I support a review of its terms and conditions to, if necessary, update it in the interest yung isinusulong natin na independent at interdependent foreign policy. Kung magkakaroon man ng review ng VFA, I hope that it will take place in that context,” the senator said during the interview.

“I look forward for a clear and consistent and pro-Filipino foreign and national defense policy dito man sa usapin ng VFA, sa buong Mutual Defense Treaty or kahit sa kaugnayan natin sa Tsina at sa iba pang claimant countries sa West Philippine Sea,” she added.

EDV