Malacañang denied as blackmail President Rodrigo R. Duterte’s warning on Saturday that he might terminate the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) if the United States (US) does not send at least 20 million doses of the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccine.
This was in reaction to Senator Panfilo “Ping” Lacson’s statement that there is a more diplomatic way for the Philippines to ask help from the US to avail of vaccines from Pfizer and Moderna.
Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque stated that the President is the Chief Architect of the country’s Foreign Policy, so it is within the power of the President to terminate the VFA. It is merely a warning to the US after giving pardon to the convicted killer US Marine Joseph Scott Pemberton.
“Dahil tayo’y magkakaibigan, magtulungan tayo. Kailangan natin ng vaccine. May vaccine kayo, bigyan niyo kami. Kinakailangan niyo ang aming teritoryo para sa Visiting Forces Agreement, sige, ibibigay namin ‘yan. Kapag hindi, doon kayo magbigay ng VFA sa mga nabigyan niyo ng bakuna (Because we are friends, let’s help each other. We need the vaccine. You have the vaccine, give us [some]. You need our territory for the VFA, okay, we’ll give it to you. If not, give the VFA to those countries where you have given the vaccine.)” Sec. Roque elucidated.
The Philippine government has suspended the VFA abrogation on June and will last until December. – Report from Naomi Tiburcio
