Other military treaties with US remain — Joma

Other military treaties with US remain — Joma

Joma Sison

The VFA notice of termination takes effect after 180 days. The people cannot be sure that Duterte will not change his mind within that lengthy period. Previously, Duterte postured about terminating the Visiting Forces Agreement but after a few months allowed Balikatan exercises under VFA.

In the meantime, there are other military treaties with the US: Mutual Defense Treaty, Mutual Logistics Support Agreement and Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement. The EDCA allows the US military to rotate more of its troops in the Philippines and build facilities in Philippine military camps, using the Filipino puppet troops as security guards.

Duterte is beggarly dependent on US military supplies and advice. One telephone call from Trump can fix Duterte. His own pro-US military officers trained in US military forts and organized as assets of the US DIA and CIA will tell him to comply with US orders or else.

(Jose Maria Sison, NDFP Chief Political Consultant, Feb. 11, 2020)