Senators ask SC to rule on cancelling VFA by Palace

March 9, 2020

The Supreme Court has been asked to uphold the role of the Senate in ending treaties entered into by the Philippines, such as the termination of the Visiting Forces Agreement with the United States and other countries.

Senate President Vicente Sotto III and five senators on Monday filed an  urgent plea for declaratory relief and mandamus before the SC.

The Senate's petition seeks to declare that a treaty previously concurred in by the Upper House should require the concurrence of at least two-thirds of the Upper Chamber if the executive department decides to end the accord.

In a petition, Sotto along with Senators Ralph Recto, Juan Miguel Zubiri, Franklin Drilon, Richard Gordon, and Panfilo Lacson also asked the SC magistrates to issue an order “directing respondents to forthwith refer the Notice of Withdrawal to the Senate of the Philippines for its concurrence, pursuant to Section 21, Article VII of the 1987 Constitution.”

“It is respectfully prayed that this Honorable Court…issue an order directing respondents to forthwith refer the Notice of Withdrawal to the Senate of the Philippines for its concurrence, pursuant to Section 21 Article VII of the 1987 Constitution,” read the petition.

The petition was filed almost a month after Manila notified the US of the termination of the 1999 Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA), which governs the conditions under which American soldiers may be present in the Philippines.

The termination will take effect 180 days after the US received the notice.

Prior to the termination, President Rodrigo Duterte threatened to end the VFA if the US failed to restore Senator Ronald dela Rosa's visa.

Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea and Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin, Jr. were named respondents in the petition. DMS