There is a “good possibility” that the United States’ donation of the coronavirus vaccines was one of the reasons why President Duterte recalled his order to terminate the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA), Presidential spokesman Harry Roque said on Monday, August 2.
In his virtual presser, Roque noted that the “totality of the circumstances” lately pushed the President to terminate the abrogation of the agreement between the Philippines and the United States.
“I said considered the totality of circumstances. There is a good possibility that is also part of the equation,” he said.
Last month, the U.S government directly donated 3.2 million doses of Johnson & Johnson vaccine to the Philippines to help curb the COVID-19 cases in the country.
The single-shot Janssen vaccines were distributed mostly in areas where there is a high number of COVID-19 cases. The dose gives full protection to the vaccinee after only two weeks since the shot.
READ: US completes 3.2M vaccine donations to PH
Aside from Johnson & Johnson’s COVID-19 vaccine, the United States also has a surplus of the AstraZeneca vaccine, which the Philippines used as part of its vaccination rollout.
Last week, Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana announced that the country will uphold the agreement after the President’s meeting with visiting US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin III.
He did not give specifics as to what led to the decision that has strained the relationship between the two allies since Duterte ordered the termination of the VFA after the United States revoked the visa of his close ally and friend, former police chief and now Senator Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa.
“Kung gugustuhin ni presidente talaga, tinuloy nya ‘yung termination ng VFA pero nakailang beses siya ng extension ng termination at siguro po, ‘yun lg mga totality ng pangyayari recently at saka (If the President really wants, he can continue the termination of the VFA but he made extensions several times and maybe, the totality of the circumstances recently and the) thorough assessment of what constitutes the national interest prompted him to withdraw his earlier termination,” Roque said.
READ: Duterte keeps VFA after getting ‘clarity’ on US commitment to defense treaty
The spokesperson was not able to give a definite answer when asked if the US made additional military aid so they can keep the VFA, which allows joint trainings between American and Filipino soldiers and governs the conduct of US troops while they are in the country.
The VFA makes it possible for the US military to assist the country’s armed forces in combating extremist groups and any threat to the country’s territory and sovereignty. It allows Washington to keep a military presence in the region, which is a potential flashpoint for armed conflict because of China’s vast claims in the West Philippine Sea.
The US considers freedom of navigation in the region as the most important maritime route because of the amount of trade and commerce that pass through it.
“Sa totoo lang po, wala pa akong alam kasi naging mabilis din po ang desisyon ng ating presidente matapos makipagpulong sa secretary of defense ng Estados Unidos pero kung meron man po, aalamin ko (In truth, I have no ideas because the President’s decision has been fast after he met with the secretary of defense of the United States but if there is, I will find out about it),” Roque said.
He added that he’s also not privy to what Lorenzana mentioned that there is “an addendum of sorts” although as far as he knows, the decision of the President happened without signing any addendum.