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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider VFA with Japan makes PH a 'magnet for attacks' — Makabayan solon

VFA with Japan makes PH a 'magnet for attacks' — Makabayan solon

Published Feb 12, 2023 02:38 pm

House Deputy Minority leader and ACT Teachers Party-list Rep. France Castro sees only the perils of the Marcos government’s plan to enter into a Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) with Japan, warning that it would make the country “a magnet for attacks.”

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. (2nd right) and his official delegation during their state visit in Tokyo, Japan. Also in the photo is House Speaker Martin Romualdez (2nd from left) shaking hands with Japanese Prime Minister Kishida Fumio (3rd right). (Speaker’s office)

The proposed military deal, the lawmaker said on Sunday, Feb. 13, runs counter to the independent foreign policy that President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. earlier stated he would like to pursue.

"With this type of foreign policy the Philippines would further become a magnet for attacks and further imperil the Filipino people,” she said in a statement.

“Isa pa, parang Espanya na lang ang kulang ay kumpleto na ang mga sumakop sa Pilipinas sa mga mga VFA sa bansa (Furthermore, it seems that only Spain is missing and we will already complete those who occupied the Philippines with the VFAs we have),” Castro added.

Her sentiments came after House Speaker Martin Romualdez, the President’s cousin and was a part of the official delegation during the five-day state visit in Japan, revealed that both countries are moving in the “general direction” of entering into a deal that would allow Japan’s troops to access military bases in the Philippines and conduct joint drills.

READ: PH-Japan ‘VFA’ a ‘work in progress’, says Romualdez

Marcos earlier said that he wants to see closer ties with Japan in an effort to boost security in the Asia Pacific region.

A military agreement, similar to the one the Philippines controversially has with the United States, with Japan was first broached in 2015 under the Aquino administration.

Castro hit at the “strings attached” to these agreements, noting the killing of Jennifer Laude by a US marine and the “social cost” of the military bases.

“Dapat tutulan ang ganitong mga tipong kasunduan at mas tumindig tayo sa sarili nating paa na gamit ang mga (We should be wary of these kinds of agreements and we need to stand on our own using) international na batas (laws),” she reiterated.

Related Tags

ACT Teachers Partylist VFA United States Martin Romualdez Japan FRANCE CASTRO President Marcos
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