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US senators, envoy pay courtesy call on PHL Senate


Two senators of the United States and US Ambassador to the Philippines Harry Thomas on Monday paid a courtesy call to Philippine Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile. Thomas, US Congress Senate President Pro Tempore Daniel Inouye, and Senator Thad Cochran met with Enrile at the Senate premises for a courtesy call on Monday. Also with them were:

  • Margaret Cummisky from the US Senate Appropriations Committee deputy staff directorate;
  • Stewart Holmes from the US Senate Appropriations Committee-Defense, Kate Fitzpatrick from the US Senate Appropriations Committee;
  • Amb. Patricia Ann Paez from the Office of the American Affairs, and
  • Office of the International Relations Protocol deputy director Ma. Esperanza Ayson. Interviews with the US officials were not allowed before or after the courtesy call. The visit, however, came after Malacañang said it is in the process of reviewing the ‘jurisdiction’ aspect of the RP-US Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA). At the Senate, two senators have expressed support for the resolution filed by Sen. Miriam Defensor-Santiago in August last year calling for the termination of the VFA. These are Senators Joker Arroyo and Teofisto Guingona III. House Deputy Speaker Lorenzo Tañada III had also filed a joint congressional resolution seeking the termination of the VFA entered into by the Philippines with the United States of America in 1998. The Philippine Senate ratified the agreement in May 1999. It is not a mutual security agreement but is a support deal to the Mutual Defense Treaty (MDT). - VVP, GMA News
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