Lorenzana no comment on Duterte threat to end VFA with US

January 24, 2020

Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana refused to comment on the threat of President Rodrigo Roa Duterte to terminate the 20-year-old Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) with the United States.

"Too soon to comment," the defense chief said on Thursday night.

However, Lorenzana said he understood why Duterte is "peeved" by the cancellation of the US visa of Senator Ronald "Bato" Dela Rosa.

"I can understand why PRRD ( President Rodrigo Roa Duterte) is peeved by the cancellation of Sen Bato’s visa because of alleged extrajudicial killings in connection with the drug war. Most specially that Bato was specifically targeted,'' he said, 

"It is a direct affront to PRRD being the architect of the drug war that he started upon his assumption of office,'' he added. 

Lorenzana said Duterte is just "being true to his promise". 

"He (Duterte) ordered Bato, then the  newly installed Chief PNP, to launch the drug war and enjoined the entire PNP to do their duties and pledged to would back them up. That he would take responsibility for their official actions. That he would go to prison for them. He is just being true to his promise," he said.

Duterte threatened to terminate the VFA if the US does not restore the visa of Dela Rosa .

Duterte gave the United States one month to restore the cancelled visa of Dela Rosa.

Last Wednesday, Dela Rosa confirmed that his US visa was cancelled.

Lorenzana said he will have to study first the possible impact of the termination of the VFA.

The VFA is a bilateral agreement between Philippines and United States which covers the visit of American forces in the country. Robina Asido/DMS