Villar calls for VFA review

Close to 300 LP allies defect to NP

by HANNAH L. TORREGOZA (Manila Bulletin)

http://mb.com.ph/articles/246014/villar-calls-review-vfa-close-300-lp-allies-defect-np

TANDAG CITY – Nacionalista Party (NP) standard-bearer Sen. Manuel Villar Jr. and vice presidential bet Sen. Loren Legarda said Wednesday that a review of the RP-US Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) still needs to push through despite the Supreme Court’s recent decision upholding the legality of the military treaty.

Villar and Legarda both said they respect the ruling of the High Court but said they believe the 1999 military agreement should still be revisited.

“I do believe that the VFA is constitutional. That is not illegal and that is not unconstitutional. I agree with that and I respect that,” Villar told reporters in an interview at the Surigao Del Sur Polytechnic State College when they campaigned in this city.

Villar said that while he recognizes the SC’s ruling, he said there is nothing wrong with the proposal that the military treaty be subjected to review from time to time.

Legarda, his running mate, also agreed that the VFA need to be reexamined, especially on the issue on the prolonged stay of US military officials in the country particularly in Mindanao where they are engaged in Balikatan exercises or supposed combat training against rebels and secessionist groups.

As one of those who voted against the VFA in 1999, Legarda said the SC decision should be respected but said its implementation should not go beyond the Terms of Engagement and Agreement provided for in the treaty.
Legarda said provisions of the treaty should not be misconstrued or treated as if it is a military bases agreement.

As this developed, NP welcomed the entry of more local executives in Mindanao provinces who joined their fold.

With barely two months left to campaign, close to 300 local government officials from the CARAGA region that are allied with the Liberal Party presidential candidate Sen. Benigno Aquino’s decided to jump ship and forged an alliance with the NP.

Villar said he is elated over the warm support showed by Mindanao local executives describing it further as a big gain in the NP’s “war against poverty.”

At least 171 of these local officials are from Agusan del Norte and Agusan del Sur. They took their oath-taking at Dotties Place in Butuan City.

Some 123 local government executives from Surigao del Norte have defected, including 11 mayors of the province.

“Kahit papaano ay masaya kami at lalong dumadami an gating mga kapartido. Kaya isang malaking bagay sa akin ito at napakaraming mga bagong sali sa partido na galing sa LP,” Villar told reporters. (“I am very well pleased that we our ranks is increasing in numbers. This means so much to me that we have new members that came from the LP.”)

The new members include two incumbent town mayors, four incumbent vice mayors, and 16 incumbent councilors.

The candidates for local positions in Agusan del Norte who took their oath as new members of NP originally filed their candidacies under the Liberal Party.

Villar presided over the oath-taking of Mayor Bebe Hitgano of Trento town, Vice Mayor Martin Heje of Bunawan, Vice Mayor Antonio Petalcorin of Rosario, and Vice Mayor Jess Morales of Kitcharao town, all in Agusan del Sur.

With the support they got, Villar said he is confident the coalition of the Nacionalista Party and the Nationalist People’s Coalition (NPC) to which Legarda belongs will finally achieve dominant minority party status with the Commission on Elections (Comelec).