Press Release
January 19, 2006
*GMA phone call could save VFA --- Recto*
All it takes is one phone call from her.
Sen. Ralph Recto believes President Arroyo can convince US President
George W. Bush to order the transfer to a Philippine stockade of
four American servicemen charged in the Subic rape case.
I dont think Bush will allow four rape suspects to get in the way
of a beautiful relationship, Recto said.
If she has that direct line to the White House, as she is reputed
to, then now is the time to use it . Pick up the phone, Maam, and
make your call, he said.
Unlike Hello Garci, Hello George is one greeting wed like to
hear, he said.
Recto said the two leaders closeness is for real, and not simply
for photo ops, but, now is the time to test it, when it is before
the bar of justice, not before the cameras.
The Visiting Forces Agreement may have left no room for the transfer
of custody of the accused American personnel to Philippine
authorities, but it does not bar the President of the United States
from waiving his governments custodial rights , Recto said.
With calls mounting for the abrogation of the VFA over the United
States refusal to hand over the suspects, Recto said the phone
call the President will make is the phone call that can probably
save the VFA.
Weve been saying that we should resort to diplomacy before we do
something drastic about the VFA. Two leaders talking is diplomacy at
the highest level. We should explore it, he said More are wrought
upon this world by charm than by confrontation, and GMA has lots of
the former, he said. |