Philippines starts process of terminating VFA with US, officials say

In this Apr. 24, 2019 photo, a US Marine takes accountability for equipment during a maritime prepositioning force onload at Subic Bay.
US Marine Corps/Lance Cpl. Mark Fike

MANILA, Philippines — The Presidential Commission on Visiting Forces (PCVF) has started

the process of terminating the country's Visiting Forces Agreement with the United States following the remarks of President Rodrigo Duterte.

The president has threatened to end the VFA unless the US will "correct" the termination of Sen. Bato

dela Rosa's visa.

The senator and former top cop earlier revealed that the US government has canceled his visa as part of the US Magnitsky law that sanctions Philippine officials involved in the drug war.

Presidential spokesperson Salvador Panelo said the president has directed the VFA committee to start the process Friday night.

"The direction is, we are starting the process," Panelo told reporters.

Locsin, Lorenzana to inform US Senate

Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. said he and Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana will contact the US Senate first to inform them of the country's intent to withdraw the agreement.

Locsin and Lorenzana are chair and vice chair of the PCVF that

is tasked to supervise and monitor the VFA entered by the Philippines with the US.

"Del Lorenzana & I—as Vice and Chair of USVFA—are starting

the process of terminating it by first contacting the Senate because it is a treaty on our side, an executive agreement on the US side," Locsin tweeted Friday.

Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra, meanwhile, said his agency is still studying the termination of the VFA.

"

I have been asked to study the procedure. Still ongoing. I'll complete my study today," Guevarra said.

Under Article IX of the VFA, the agreement "shall remain in force until the expiration of 180 days from the date on which either party gives the other party notice in writing that it desires to

terminate the agreement."

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