MAKIKI-POST LANG PO PARA SA KAMPANYANG IBASURA ANG VISITING FORCES AGREEMENT (VFA) It’s humiliation after humiliation.
This was how the umbrella group Bagong Alyansang Makabayan described the hasty departure of Lance Corporal Daniel Smith who flew out of the country after receiving word of his acquittal on rape charges.
“That’s what you get with the Visiting Forces Agreement. It was humiliating enough that Smith was not placed under Philippine custody during his trial and conviction. It is even more humiliating for Philippine authorities now that Smith has left the country after his acquittal and Philippine officials all seem unaware of it,” said Bayan secretary general Renato M. Reyes, Jr.
“What is even more humiliating is that there are no known records of Smith’s departure from the Philippines. He has been under US military authority ever since and under the VFA, American soldiers are not required to secure visas nor go through immigration when they enter and leave the country. We simply would not know who goes in and out and when,” Reyes said.
The group cited Article 3 section 2 of the VFA which states that “United States military personnel shall be exempt from passport and visa regulations upon entering and departing the Philippines.”
Bayan said that even with Smith’s acquittal, the custody issues related to the VFA are very much valid. This is contrary to the position of the Solicitor General Agnes Devanadera who said that the custody issue before the Supreme Court is now moot an academic.
“The lopsided provisions on custody of erring American troops is still an issue. The VFA can again be invoked when another crime is committed by US troops in the future. Justice may again be denied. We thus retain our opposition to the VFA on the ground that it is patently one-sided in favor of American interests,” Reyes said.
The Philippine Supreme Court last February issued a ruling that the erstwhile detention of Smith at the US embassy was not in accordance with the VFA and ordered the Philippine government to negotiate a new detention facility under Philippine authority.
Bayan has placed the responsibility of terminating the VFA at the hands of Philippine president Gloria Macapagal Arroyo.
“We have suffered enough humiliation as a country at the hands of the US government. It is time we assert our sovereignty and national interest and terminate the VFA. This can be done by the President exercising the country’s right to terminate the agreement. No concurrence is needed by the US. It merely has to recognize the fact that the Philippines has junked the agreement,” Reyes said.
“Expect more protests here and even among Filipinos in the US as we push for the abrogation of the VFA. We are planning to hold another activity to mark the 10th anniversary of the VFA on May 27, 2009,” Reyes added. ###
Para sa ibang impormasyon hinggil sa VFA, i-download:
http://www.bayan.ph/downloads/VFA%20primer-paggahasa%20sa%20soberanya.pdfJUNK VFA 
