The chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Foreign Affairs yesterday assured that a review of the controversial RP-US Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) would be conducted but not as immediate as its critics would want to.
"It may not be immediately but it could be as soon as possible," said Cebu City Rep. Antonio Cuenco, Foreign Affairs panel chairman and co-chairman of the Legislative Oversight Committee on the VFA (LOVFA).
However, Bacolod City Rep. Monico Puentevella dared opposition senators who were among the chief critics of the VFA to lead the review.
"The Palace pronouncement to go slow on a review at this point will not impede the efforts of the Congress oversight committee to do a review. We urge Sens. Rodolfo Biazon and Aquilino "Nene" Pimentel Jr. and other senators who weighed in on the Smith issue to take the lead on this, after all, it was the Senate that reviewed and ratified the VFA during the Estrada administration," said Puentevella.
Calls for an immediate review of the VFA were aired by various groups after Malacañang, acknowledging the provisions of VFA on custody of erring American servicemen, ordered the transfer of convicted rapist US Marine Lance Corporal Daniel Smith from the Makati City Jail to the US Embassy on Roxas Blvd. in Manila. Malacañang backtracked on its proposal to renegotiate the VFA as soon as the US Embassy aired its disapproval of the 1998 security treaty.
Cuenco said the LOVFA will recommend a review of the VFA which can be done later.
He added that the oversight panel is set to meet Jan. 22 when Congress resumes its session to discuss when the review can be initiated.
"We will consult each other on when is the right time to review the VFA in light of the recent controversy over the custody of Lance Corporal Daniel Smith," Cuenco said.
A request for the United States to renegotiate the VFA would be also be necessary, Cuenco said. "When the Americans are ready, we will be ready," he said.
Puentevella, a senior member of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs, backed a review of the VFA, citing a need to clearly spell out each nation’s responsibilities in such a case as the Smith issue that would be more respectful of local laws.
Puentevella said the Senate’s failure to push for or support the VFA review would be a tacit admission that senators see nothing wrong with the present VFA and its applicability on the Smith case. (Ben R. Rosario)
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