US Embassy welcomes deferment of VFA termination听
THE听United States Embassy in the Philippines on Tuesday welcomed President Rodrigo R. Duterte鈥檚听postponement on the termination of a military agreement between the two countries听by another six months.听听
鈥淥ur alliance continues to contribute not only to the security of our two nations, but also strengthens the rules-based order that benefits all nations in the Indo-Pacific,鈥澨齣t said in a statement.听听
Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro L. Locsin, Jr. in a video听message late Monday said Mr. Duterte decided to extend听his order to suspend听the termination of the听听
visiting听forces听agreement听(VFA), which involves the deployment听of troops for听joint drills.听听
Mr. Duterte in February last year said he would terminate the VFA after the US Embassy cancelled the visa of听his ally,听Senator听Ronald M. de la Rosa.听
He suspended the abrogation for six months in June, citing heightened tensions in the region and that it was a distraction to the countries鈥櫶齛nti-coronavirus efforts. It was suspended anew for another six months in December.听听
Philippine Ambassador to the US Jose Manuel G. Romualdez,听in a briefing听on听June 4,听said the听two nations听spent a lot of time to discuss how to improve the pact. He also said that the agreement is听鈥渒ind of a bigger picture of our relationship, especially in our Mutual Defense Treaty.鈥澨
US Embassy in the Philippines Charg茅 d鈥橝ffaires John Law said in the same briefing that the VFA 鈥渉as been a fundamental part of helping make the Mutual Defense Treaty successful.鈥澨鈥 Vann Marlo M. Villegas听
