Newspaper ads defend VFA, ‘promote' Teodoro
09/23/2009 | 08:37 AM
As if trying to hit two birds with one stone, two ads were placed in a national daily, defending the Visiting Forces Agreement while "campaigning" for Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr.
The two ads, which came out on pages 12 and 14 in The Philippine Star on September 23, credited the VFA for the rescue of 900 passengers from SuperFerry 9 tragedy and for combating bombings.
"Sa pagtutulungan ng mga Pilipino at Amerikanong sundalo, daan-daang tao ang nailigtas sa paglubog ng SuperFerry 9 (With the coordination of Filipino and US soldiers, hundreds were rescued from SuperFerry 9)," the first ad said.
It said the Western Mindanao Command sent naval assets and medical teams from the Joint Operations Task Force Philippines to Zamboanga Sibugay, where SuperFerry 9 tilted and sank last September 6.
The second ad credited the VFA for training soldiers in bomb disposal techniques.
Both ad messages had a green background, green being Teodoro's official color. Inset right under the ads were photos of Teodoro with President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo and Foreign Affairs Secretary Alberto Romulo.
Earlier this month, the ruling Lakas-Kampi-CMD named Teodoro as its choice for standard bearer in the 2010 presidential race. [See: Lakas-Kampi picks Teodoro as 2010 standard bearer]
Last week, Teodoro defended the VFA before the House committee on appropriations. [See: Teodoro defends VFA before House panel]
VFA renegotiation bid
Incidentally, the newspaper ads came on the day Sen. Miriam Santiago was to sponsor on the Senate floor a resolution calling for a VFA review, a move which is welcomed by Malacañang.
On September 17, a Senate resolution calling for a review of the VFA was filed.
Last Sunday, Santiago - who chairs the Legislative Oversight committee on the VFA - said she had planned to sponsor the resolution last week, but had to give way to two warring colleagues.
“Sana last week pa ang sponsorship ko. Kaya lang, nagpalitan ng privilege speeches ang dalawang magkalaban na senador kaya pina-postpone ko. Pero sa ngayon maski tuloy pa ang sagutan ng magkalabang mga senador, itutuloy ko ang sponsorship sa Wednesday (I had wanted to sponsor it last week were it not for the privilege speeches of two warring colleagues. But even if they deliver their own privilege speeches this week I will sponsor this resolution on Wednesday)," she said in an earlier interview on dzBB radio.
Santiago was referring to Senators Panfilo Lacson and Jose "Jinggoy" Estrada, who "exchanged" privilege speeches last week.
Lacson delivered the second installment of his privilege speech Tuesday, while Estrada indicated he will make a reply to that speech Wednesday.
Santiago will sponsor Senate Resolution 1356, which seeks a review of the VFA, and termination of the agreement if the review is denied.
“Nag-compromise tayo para makuha ang majority vote na kailangan. That’s why ginawa ko muna ang renegotiation, and then if it is denied, then termination (I put in a compromise to ensure the majority signs the resolution. That’s why I sought first a renegotiation, and then termination if it is denied)," Santiago said.
Fatal flaw
The resolution said the VFA’s fatal flaw is its failure to specify the period of stay of visiting forces and the failure to define what are the ‘activities’ that they can engage in while in Philippine national territory.
VFA became controversial anew after reports that not only US soldiers have been overstaying in Mindanao but they are also participating in combat operations against local insurgent groups.
Signatories in the measure include senators Lacson, Gregorio Honasan II, and Santiago. Rodolfo Biazon and Richard Gordon also signed the resolution but with reservations, which they said would be raised on the floor. - GMANews.TV
The two ads, which came out on pages 12 and 14 in The Philippine Star on September 23, credited the VFA for the rescue of 900 passengers from SuperFerry 9 tragedy and for combating bombings.
"Sa pagtutulungan ng mga Pilipino at Amerikanong sundalo, daan-daang tao ang nailigtas sa paglubog ng SuperFerry 9 (With the coordination of Filipino and US soldiers, hundreds were rescued from SuperFerry 9)," the first ad said.
It said the Western Mindanao Command sent naval assets and medical teams from the Joint Operations Task Force Philippines to Zamboanga Sibugay, where SuperFerry 9 tilted and sank last September 6.
The second ad credited the VFA for training soldiers in bomb disposal techniques.
Both ad messages had a green background, green being Teodoro's official color. Inset right under the ads were photos of Teodoro with President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo and Foreign Affairs Secretary Alberto Romulo.
Earlier this month, the ruling Lakas-Kampi-CMD named Teodoro as its choice for standard bearer in the 2010 presidential race. [See: Lakas-Kampi picks Teodoro as 2010 standard bearer]
Last week, Teodoro defended the VFA before the House committee on appropriations. [See: Teodoro defends VFA before House panel]
VFA renegotiation bid
Incidentally, the newspaper ads came on the day Sen. Miriam Santiago was to sponsor on the Senate floor a resolution calling for a VFA review, a move which is welcomed by Malacañang.
On September 17, a Senate resolution calling for a review of the VFA was filed.
Last Sunday, Santiago - who chairs the Legislative Oversight committee on the VFA - said she had planned to sponsor the resolution last week, but had to give way to two warring colleagues.
“Sana last week pa ang sponsorship ko. Kaya lang, nagpalitan ng privilege speeches ang dalawang magkalaban na senador kaya pina-postpone ko. Pero sa ngayon maski tuloy pa ang sagutan ng magkalabang mga senador, itutuloy ko ang sponsorship sa Wednesday (I had wanted to sponsor it last week were it not for the privilege speeches of two warring colleagues. But even if they deliver their own privilege speeches this week I will sponsor this resolution on Wednesday)," she said in an earlier interview on dzBB radio.
Santiago was referring to Senators Panfilo Lacson and Jose "Jinggoy" Estrada, who "exchanged" privilege speeches last week.
Lacson delivered the second installment of his privilege speech Tuesday, while Estrada indicated he will make a reply to that speech Wednesday.
Santiago will sponsor Senate Resolution 1356, which seeks a review of the VFA, and termination of the agreement if the review is denied.
“Nag-compromise tayo para makuha ang majority vote na kailangan. That’s why ginawa ko muna ang renegotiation, and then if it is denied, then termination (I put in a compromise to ensure the majority signs the resolution. That’s why I sought first a renegotiation, and then termination if it is denied)," Santiago said.
Fatal flaw
The resolution said the VFA’s fatal flaw is its failure to specify the period of stay of visiting forces and the failure to define what are the ‘activities’ that they can engage in while in Philippine national territory.
VFA became controversial anew after reports that not only US soldiers have been overstaying in Mindanao but they are also participating in combat operations against local insurgent groups.
Signatories in the measure include senators Lacson, Gregorio Honasan II, and Santiago. Rodolfo Biazon and Richard Gordon also signed the resolution but with reservations, which they said would be raised on the floor. - GMANews.TV
