President Rodrigo Duterte had ordered to send notification
to the United States to terminate the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA),
Presidential spokesperson Salvador Panelo announced on Friday.
"He said, and I quote him, 'I will instruct the
Executive Secretary (Salvador Medialdea) to tell the DFA Secretary (Teodoro
Locsin Jr) to send notice of termination to the US government,'" Panelo
said.
According to CNN Philippines, President Duterte is scheduled
to speak with US President Donald Trump, but Panelo cleared no agenda yet was
brought up.
Under the two-decade military pact between the Philippines
and the US, the VFA can be terminated via a written notice from either of the
countries.
Meanwhile, expiration will come 180 days from the time
either party notifies the other.
Foreign Affairs secretary Teddyboy Locsin said that the
notice of termination has already been prepared and is only waiting for the
President’s order.
Duterte’s directive came just a day after a Senate hearing about
VFA and what are its benefits for the Philippines.
Earlier, the President made the announcement that he will
terminate the VFA after Senator Bato Dela Rosa’s visa was cancelled.
Although there was no reason provided by US, Bato’s visa got
cancelled after American senators passed a resolution that sought to impose
some sanctions against Philippine officials responsible for the detention of Senator
Leila De Lima.
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