Matapos ang banta ni Duterte, VFA balik na, at Umani ito ng iba’t ibang mga reaksyon

Matapos ang halos isang taon na nasa limbo, ang Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) ng Pilipinas at United States ay “back in full force” na.

Isang bisita lang mula sa US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin III ang kinakailangan para ihulog ni President Duterte ang kaniyang banta na ibasura ang military pact na pinagtibay noong 1999 na namamahala sa presensiya ng mga US troops sa bansa.

“Last night, after the meeting between Secretary Austin and President in Malacañang, the President decided to recall or retract the termination letter [on] the VFA,” ayon kay Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana sa isang press briefing ng dalawang chiefs kahapon.

“The VFA is in full force again. There is no letter of termination pending and we are back on track,” sabi ni Lorenzana.

Inutos ng presidente ang termination ng VFA noong February 2020 kasunod ng cancellation ng US visa ni Sen. Ronald dela Rosa, ang kaniyang kaibigan at kakampi, at ang former chief ng Philippine National Police, na nanguna sa administration ni Duterte sa war on drugs.

Ngunit matapos ang apat na buwan, sinuspende niya ang termination nito sa susunod na anim na buwan dahil sa “political and other developments in the region.” Ang suspensyon kalaunan ay na suspended muli sa susunod na anim na buwan hanggang sa huli ng 2020.

Noong Pebrero, ayon kay Duterte kailangan ng America mag “pay” pag gusto nilang manatili ang VFA.

Ang pagbago ng President sa kaniyang stance ay base sa Philippines’ “strategic core interest,” ayon sa kaniyang spokesperson Harry Roqque sa isang pahayag kahapon.

Tumawag si Austin kay President Duterte noong Huwebes ng gabi, na kung saan ang Pilipinas ang huling lugar niya sa kaniyang tour ng Southeast Asia matapos bisitahin ang Singapore at Vietnam.

Siya ang kauna-unahang Cabinet member ng Biden administration na bumisita sa bansa.

Pinasalamatan niya si President Duterte para sa pag-restore ng VFA, ayon kay Austin: “A strong, resilient US-Philippine alliance will remain vital to the security, stability, and prosperity of the Indo-Pacific. A fully restored VFA will help us achieve those goals together.”

Tinalakay naman nina Austin at Lorenzana ang mga paraan para ma-enhance ang alliance, kasama rito pagsuporta sa modernization ng Philippine military.

Nung tinanong ng mga reporters kung bakit binaliktad ni Duterte ang kaniyang posisyon sa agreement, sagot ni Lorenza ay hindi niya alam: “I’m not privy to his decision-making.”

“But one thing is clear: the Department of Foreign Affairs and the ambassador to the United States (Jose Manuel Romualdez) have been … working for this to happen. Maybe the President was just convinced that we could continue with the VFA,” ayon kay Lorenzana.

Noong nakaraang linggo, ayon kay Lorenzana, magkakaroon ng mga adisyon, ngunit ang wala pang pinagbago sa current provision ang VFA.

Ngunit umani ito ng iba’t ibang reaksyon.

Para kay international policy and security expert Chester Cabalza, President Duterte’s “hasty softening od heart and mind [toward] Washington can be seen as a balancing act despite his five-year pivot to Beijing.”

“As a result, the China threat still undermines our national interest and sovereignty,” sabi Cabalza.

Ayon naman kay Renato Reyes Jr., secretary general ng Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan), “Duterte was never really serious in terminating the agreement. He did seek more US military aid, the kind that will be used against the Filipino people especially in the regime’s counterinsurgency drive.”

“The VFA will not help us … defend our exclusive economic zone against China,” sabi ni Reyes

Sa Malacañang, ayon kay Roque na “Duterte’s decision to recall the abrogation of the VFA is based on upholding [Philippine] strategic core interests, the clear definition of Philippine-US alliance as one between sovereign equals, and clarity of US position on its obligations and commitments under [the MDT].”

Ayon kay Velasco: “Now, more than ever, we need to maintain strong ties with the United States given the current uncertain and challenging international political environment that was further aggravated by the COVID-19 pandemic.”

Pahayag ni Romualdez na “crucial” ito sa dalawang bansa para maipagtibay ang bilateral cooperation lalo na ngayong pandemic na laganap sa buong mundo.

Ayon naman kay Muntinlupa Rep, Ruffy Biazon, vice chair of the House national defense and security committee, na naiparating ni Austin kay President Duterte ang pangako ng Amerika na panigan ang Pilipinas para sa “mutual interest and benefit, particularly on security issues.”

Ngunit humingi naman si Minority Leader Joseph Stephen Paduano ng “full public disclosure”

“As of now, all we know is that the abrogation was recalled. The advantage we were expecting has not materialized yet, and an improved VFA is nowhere to be seen,” sabi ni Paduano.

Source: Inquirer.Net