Nagbanta si Pangulong Rodrigo Duterte na “wakasan ang Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA)” sa U.S. matapos kumpirmahin ng kanyang dating police at corrections chief, Sen. Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa, na kanselado ang kanyang U.S. visa.
Binibigyan ng isang buwan ang pamahalaang Amerikano para ayusin ang kanseladong visa ni Dela Rosa, sinabi ni Duterte:
“I’m warning you, this is the first time (Binabantaan ko kayo, ito ang unang pagkakataon): ‘pag hindi ninyo ginawa ang correction diyan…I will terminate the bases — Visiting Forces Agreement…They are the ones who really want the military bases, the Visiting Forces Agreement. Because of what they did to Dela Rosa, that is what we will give them in return (tatapusin ko ang mga base — Visiting Forces Agreement … Sila ang mga may gusto talaga ng mga military base, ang Visiting Forces Agreement. Dahil sa ginawa nila kay Dela Rosa, iyan ang ibibigay natin sa kanilang kapalit).”
Pinagmulan: Presidential Communications Operations Office, Speech of President Rodrigo Roa Duterte during the distribution of benefits to former rebels in Leyte, Enero 23, 2020, panoorin mula 22:17 hanggang 22:44 at 25:20 hanggang 25:48
Sinabi ni Palace Spokesperson Salvador Panelo sa isang press conferene noong Enero 27 na ang pagkansela sa visa ni Senador Dela Rosa ang “last straw that broke the camel’s back,” na humikayat kay Duterte na wakasan ang VFA.
Ngunit taliwas sa pahayag ng pangulo, wala nang mga base militar ang Amerika sa bansa.
Panoorin ang video na ito.
VERA FILES FACT CHECK: Duterte falsely claims there are still U.S. military bases in PH from VERA Files on Vimeo.
Ang Military Bases Agreement, na nilagdaan noong 1947, ay nagpahintulot sa US na sakupin, magmantini at kontrolin ang mga air at naval base sa loob ng 99 taon. Sa isang exchange of notes sa pagitan ng dalawang bansa noong 1966, ang bisa ng kasunduan ay ginawang 25 taon, na nagtakda ng bagong petsa ng pag-expire hanggang Sept. 16, 1991.
Ayon sa 1987 Constitution, ang mga base, sundalo, o pasilidad ng militar ng U.S. ay pahihintulutan lamang sa ilalim ng isang kasunduan na naaprubahan ng Pilipinas at ng katuwang na estado:
“After the expiration in 1991 of the Agreement between the Republic of the Philippines and the United States of America concerning Military Bases, foreign military bases, troops, or facilities shall not be allowed in the Philippines except under a treaty duly concurred in by the Senate and, when the Congress so requires, ratified by a majority of the votes cast by the people in a national referendum held for that purpose, and recognized as a treaty by the other contracting State.
(Matapos ang pag-expire noong 1991 ng Kasunduan sa pagitan ng Republika ng Pilipinas at United States of America hinggil sa Militar Bases, ang mga dayuhang base militar, sundalo, o pasilidad ay hindi papayagan sa Pilipinas maliban sa ilalim ng isang kasunduan na inaprubahan ng Senado at, kapag hinihiling ng Kongreso, naaprubahan ng isang mayorya ng mga boto ng mga tao sa isang pambansang reperendum na gaganapin para sa layuning iyon, at kinikilala bilang isang kasunduan ng kakontratang Estado.)”
Pinagmulan: Official Gazette, The Constitution of the Republic of the Philippines: Article VIII, Sec. 25
Noong 1992, pormal na ibinalik ng U.S. ang mga base militar sa Pilipinas sa ilalim ng dating Pangulong Fidel V. Ramos sa Subic Bay.
Binabalangkas ng VFA, na inaprubahan ng Senado noong 1999, ang mga termino at kundisyon para sa pagpasok at pagbisita ng mga U.S. personnel sa bansa para sa mga military exercise, ayon sa isang FAQ article ng Department of Foreign Affairs.
The Enhancement Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA), signed under former President Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III furthering the VFA and 1951 Mutual Defense Treaty, has an initial 10-year term allowing rotational U.S. military presence at five Philippine military bases. (See VERA FILES FACT CHECK: Cayetano mali ang pahayag na may base militar ang U.S. sa PHL, Taiwan)
A portion of EDCA specifically points out that the Philippines and the US have an understanding not to “establish permanent military presence or base in the territory of the Philippines.”
Mga Pinagmulan
Presidential Communications Operations Office, Speech of President Rodrigo Roa Duterte during the distribution of benefits to former rebels in Leyte, Jan. 24, 2020
CNN Philippines, Dela Rosa confirms his US visa has been canceled, Jan. 22, 2020
New York Times, Philippines Orders U.S. to Leave Strategic Navy Base at Subic Bay, Dec. 28, 1991
The Washington Post, U.S. BASE REJECTED IN PHILIPPINES, Sept. 10, 1991
Chicago Tribune, AQUINO VOWS FIGHT AS PHILIPPINE PANEL REJECTS U.S. BASES, Sept. 10, 1991
Rappler.com, LOOK BACK: When the Senate said ‘no’ to US bases renewal, Sept. 16, 2016
Bulatlat.com, Volume 2, Number 32: The Day the Impossible Happened, September 15 – 21, 2002
GMA News Online, 20 years later, senators who rejected US bases hailed anew, Sept. 16, 2011
The Baltimore Sun, U.S. preparing to abandon Clark Air Base, July 16, 1991
Los Angeles Times, U.S. Reaches Accord With Manila, Will Leave Clark Air Base: Philippines: Volcano causes abandonment of field. But Americans will keep Subic Naval Base for 10 years, July 18, 1991
New York Times, U.S. Will Abandon Volcano-Ravaged Air Base, Manila Is Told, July 16, 1991
Library of Congress, Agreement between the United States of America and the Republic of the
Philippines concerning Military Bases, Retrieved on Jan. 25, 2020
Supreme Court E-library, Agreement amending the Military Bases Agreement of 14 March 1947, Sept. 16, 1966
Official Gazette, The Constitution of the Republic of the Philippines: Article VIII, Sec. 25
Official Gazette, Speech of President Ramos at the Subic Turnover Ceremony, Nov. 24, 1992
Gov.ph, Agreement between the Philippines and the United States on Enhanced Defense Cooperation, Retrieved on Jan. 25, 2020
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