Palace exec: VFA review panel may convene next month

The presidential commission that will review the RP-US Visiting Forces Agreement may convene early next month, Executive Secretary Paquito "Jojo" Ochoa Jr. said Thursday. Ochoa, who chairs the Presidential Commission on the VFA, told reporters in an ambush interview in Manila that he will probably convene the commission on the first week of December to discuss the recommendations of the technical working group that is preparing the points that may be considered in the review. "We’re doing a lot of coordination with the Department of National Defense insofar as their requirements on the military side [are concerned]," Ochoa said. Last October 1, President Benigno "Noynoy" Aquino III issued Executive Order No. 9 which reorganizes the commission and names the executive secretary as chairman and the secretaries of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Department of National Defense as vice chairmen of the commission. Other members of the commission are the secretaries of the Department of Justice and Department of Social Welfare and Development, the executive president of the commission, and a private sector representative to be appointed by the president. The VFA contains the framework that governs the conduct, exit and entry movements of American troops visiting the Philippines for military exercises. It was ratified by the Philippine Senate on May 27, 1999, but the US Senate has yet to ratify the same since the US does not consider it as a treaty. Ochoa has previously said the commission will likely look into the controversial custody aspect of the VFA. The Supreme Court upheld the constitutionality of the VFA after it was questioned by a group that included former Senate President Jovito Salonga and Evalyn Ursua, the former lawyer of Suzette Nicolas who claimed that she was raped by an American soldier, US Marine Lance Cpl. Daniel Smith, in Subic five years ago. Smith, a participant in the 2005 Balikatan exercises under the auspices of the VFA, was convicted by the Makati Regional Trial Court of raping Nicolas inside the Subic Bay Freeport on Nov. 1, 2005. In a sworn statement submitted to the Court of Appeals in March 12, 2009, however, Nicolas— whose identity was still being hidden under the name "Nicole" at the time — recanted her earlier statements accusing Smith of rape and admitted that she had doubts whether the US serviceman indeed raped her. The Department of Foreign Affairs and several legislators have long been calling for a review of the controversial agreement. In August, Senate foreign affairs committee head Loren Legarda said her committee will assess the impact of the VFA and consider a resolution filed by Senator Miriam Defensor-Santiago that seeks the termination of the RP-US VFA. — RSJ, GMANews.TV