Duterte cancels VFA termination – Defense chief

President Rodrigo Duterte has canceled the termination of the Visiting Forces Agreement with the United States, Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said on Friday.

“The President decided to recall or retract the termination letter for the VFA,” Lorenzana said in a press conference with visiting US Defense Secretary Lloyd J. Austin III.

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The Defense chief made the announcement after Duterte met with Austin in Malacanang.

Palace said Duterte and Austin agreed that the ties between the Philippines and the US could be improved through “enhanced communication and greater cooperation, particularly in areas of pandemic response, combating transnational crimes, including drug war, maritime domain awareness, rule of law and trade and investments.”

Last month, the Philippines’ Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. announced the government extended the suspension of VFA abrogation for another six months.

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Locsin said President Rodrigo Duterte decided to suspend the termination of VFA so that both countries could study and address his “concerns regarding particular aspects of the agreement.”

The Philippine government formally sought the VFA abrogation on February 11, 2020.

Duterte cancels VFA termination – Defense chief

In June 2020, DFA Secretary announced the Philippines suspended the VFA termination with the United States following the instruction of President Rodrigo Duterte.

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However, in November 2020, President Rodrigo extended for another six months to suspend the VFA termination amid the continuous tensions in the South China Sea, according to Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro  Jr.

In December 2020, Duterte threatened to continue the VFA termination if the US would not give the Philippines access to COVID-19 vaccines.

In January, Ambassador Jose Manuel Romualdez said Thursday that the Philippines expects to settle issues concerning the Visiting Forces Agreement with the United States under the administration of US President .

According to , a bilateral dialog between the  forces of the Philippines and the US is planned.

“I’m quite confident na lahat ng mga issues sa ting visiting forces, mare-resolve yan. In fact, may planned bilateral strategic dialog between our Armed Forces and the Pentagon or the US Armed Forces,” Romualdez said.

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