Speaker Belmonte: VFA needed for PHL’s defense posture

Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr. on Monday thumbed down proposals to terminate the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) despite the alleged involvement of a US Marine in the recent death of a transgender Filipina, saying the incident should not affect the Philippines’ defense strategy.

 

Belmonte said the “bigger picture” to consider in discussions on the possible abrogation of the VFA should be its effect on the country’s defenses.

 

"I think the big picture has something to do with our defense posture, our position in the face of power structures in our part of the world. That definitely cannot be equated with the one incident wherein we don't even know the facts of the incident," he said.

 

Private First Class Joseph Scott Pemberton has been tagged in the killing of 26-year-old Jeffrey Laude last October 11. The victim, also known as Jennifer, was found lifeless inside a lodge in Olongapo City.

 

Pemberton, who faces a murder complaint in connection with Laude’s death, remains detained in US custody on board the USS Peleliu in Subic Bay.

 

Lawmakers from the Makabayan bloc filed a filed a joint resolution last week calling on President Benigno Aquino III to terminate the VFA and send notice of its abrogation to US President Barack Obama.

 

According to the progressive legislators, Laude’s death proves the the “one-sided, pro-US and anti-Filipino” nature of the VFA since there is yet no guarantee the Philippines will gain custody over Pemberton.

 

 “It is a big slap on the face of the Filipino nation and downright revolting that the government failed to arrest and take custody of the suspected assailant Pemberton and the US authority and custody prevailed over the American suspect of killing a Filipino on Philippine soil,” they said.

 

Earlier in the day, Aquino said he sees no need to junk the VFA since the “sin” of Pemberton should not be reflective of the reflective of the entire US.

 

Goldberg 'twisting facts'

 

In a statement, Kabataan party-list Rep. Terry Ridon assailed US Ambassador Philip Goldberg for saying the VFA has helped in the investigation of Laude’s death.

 

“The ambassador is clearly twisting the facts. Mr. Goldberg failed to mention how provisions of the VFA hampered immediate inquest proceedings, and how the agreement is now being used to bar the appearance of US marines who witnessed the crime,” he said.

 

On Sunday, Goldberg tweeted that the VFA “helped close coordination between the United States and Philippine authorities in investigating Jennifer Laude’s case.”

 

Ridon earlier said the US’ insistence in retaining custody over Pemberton has hampered inquest proceedings for the case, leaving Philippine authorities with no choice but to file a murder complaint against him in the fiscal’s office.

 

“Now, the key witnesses are reportedly out of Philippine waters, no thanks to the VFA. Clearly, Ambassador Goldberg is engaging in doublespeak, and worse, the Aquino administration is taking Goldberg’s words without question,” the lawmaker said. —NB, GMA News