Palace: Philippines needs VFA

MANILA, Philippines - Malacañang on Tuesday stood by President Benigno Aquino III's opposition to the proposed abrogation of the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) in light of the killing of a Filipino transgender allegedly by an American soldier.

"Hindi po tayo sang-ayon diyan dahil ang Visiting Forces Agreement ay kasama sa istratehiya ng Tanggulang Pambansa ng Pilipinas," Communications Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr. said in an interview with radio dwIZ.

Coloma was reacting to the joint resolution filed by Sen. Miriam Defensor-Santiago and the Akbayan Party-list that seeks to terminate the VFA after Laude was allegedly murdered by United States Marines Pfc. Joseph Scott Pemberton.

The incident has again sparked protests against American military presence in the Philippines and calls for the scrapping of the VFA, which is seen by some sectors as "one-sided, pro-US and anti-Filipino."

Malacañang is in favor of having the VFA reviewed, with Coloma admitting that its review following the 2005 Subic rape case involving another US serviceman did not settle ticklish provisions in the agreement.

Coloma had said Laude's death "gave stronger basis to re-evaluate the prevailing provision in the agreement to ensure that national interest will be upheld and justice is served to our people."

A majority of senators want a review of the VFA, with the objective of amending certain provisions of the treaty, particularly on criminal jurisdiction and custody.

Last week, Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert Del Rosario told a Senate panel that  the US government will not agree to amend the VFA.