By Hannah Torregoza, Argyll Cyrus Geducos, and Raymund Antonio  The Senate committee on foreign relations will hold an inquiry into the status of the country’s Visiting Forces Agree­ment (VFA) with the United States to discuss the possible repercussions of abrogating the treaty on the other exist­ing agreements that have been signed between the US and the Philippines. Senate of the Philippines (MANILA BULLETIN FILE PHOTO) Senator Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III, who chairs the foreign relations panel said yesterday it would be best if the Senate looks into how the government would be able to anticipate the possible outcome of terminating the VFA with respect to the Mutual Defense Treaty (MDT) and the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agree­ment or EDCA. Malacañang, however, said the termination of the VFA will not affect the military alliance of the Philippines and the US since the treaty was more for the privileges given to American military personnel in the country. READ MORE: Palace: VFA termination won’t affect PH-US alliance Vice President Leni Robredo warned against the negative implications to national security should the Duterte administration scrap the VFA. Pimentel said it is likely that the US could retaliate against the Philip­pine government if it decides to push through with terminating the VFA. Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro “Teddyboy” Locsin Jr. earlier said the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) has started the process of terminating the VFA following President Duterte’s threat to abrogate it if it refuses to take back the cancellation of Senator Ron­ald “Bato” Dela Rosa’s US visa. READ MORE: Locsin lauds Duterte’s threat to scuttle the VFA Dela Rosa believes the US cancelled his visa over his supposed involve­ment in the extrajudicial killings (EJK), being the chief implementor of the Duterte government’s war on drugs, although Washington gave no explanation as to when and why his visa was annulled. READ MORE: Palace: VFA termination won’t affect PH-US alliance PH-US alliance Presidential spokesman Salva­dor Panelo said the Mutual Defense Treaty, Balikatan Exercises, and the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agree­ment (EDCA) between the Philippines and the US will continue. “Nandoon pa rin. Hindi naman mababago yun. Yun lang naman VFA ang pinag-uusapan (Nothing will change. We’re only talking about the VFA here),” he said Sunday. “VFA refers more to the privileges granted to the American military. It does not include all other treaties which are and relative to the security of the Philippines, and alliance to the United States,” he added. The Palace official likewise said that the termination of the VFA would not mean that the Philippines will form a military alliance with other countries, especially after Duterte praised China and Russia and slammed the US for lacking respect for the country’s sovereignty. The VFA between the Philippines and the United States exempts US mil­itary personnel from visa and passport regulations in the Philippines. It also benefits American military officers who are accused of committing crimes in the Philippines. Panelo earlier said that the pro­cess of terminating the VFA already started and that the agreement will be officially scrapped 130 days after the US receives the letter notifying it of the country’s desire to terminate the VFA. READ MORE: Duterte orders termination of VFA