Duterte to decide on fate of VFA soon — envoy

Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, June 4)— President Rodrigo Duterte will soon decide on the fate of Manila's Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) with Washington, according to Philippine Ambassador to the United States Jose Manuel Romualdez.

His statement on Friday comes after Philippine and US officials concluded talks on the military agreement.

"It's now in the Office of the President and a decision may come anytime now," Romualdez told a joint virtual conference on the 75th anniversary of PH-US diplomatic ties.

Romualdez is optimistic the President will accept the "improved" version of the agreement. The Philippine envoy, however, refused to disclose the details and fine print of the new VFA.

"We're very hopeful, hopeful that the VFA will continue because it's an important piece of agreement," he said.

US Charge d' Affaires in the Philippines John Law said the negotiations on the VFA lasted for weeks.

"So the status is that we are waiting for the Philippine government's decision. We think the VFA has been a fundamental part of helping make the Mutual Defense Treaty (MDT) successful," the American official stressed.

Diplomatic sources told CNN Philippines the talks focused primarily on the criminal jurisdiction of American forces in the country.

The President terminated the VFA on February 11, 2020. The termination process, however, was suspended in June last year due to the COVID-19 pandemic and emerging threats in the South China Sea. The Philippine government again extended the suspension in November 2020.

The VFA provides the legal framework for the presence of American troops in the Philippines as they conduct joint military exercises.