Press Release
April 29, 2009

KIKO PANGILINAN SAYS VFA ONLY WORKS WELL FOR THE BENEFIT
AND INTERESTS OF THE US

Independent Senator Francis 'Kiko' Pangilinan today reacted to US Embassy's statement that 'the VFA works well'.

"Of course they would think that it works well. The release of Smith was expedited by the VFA," Pangilinan said. "But the US embassy seems to be indifferent towards the impact that the VFA has on the Filipino public."

"To this day, the benefits we get from the VFA remain hazy. Naging moderno ba ang gamit ng militar natin? Naging makabago ba ang pamamaraan ng pamamalakad ng ating Armed Forces? The VFA has clearly done us more harm than good," Pangilinan said.

"It's clearly a one-sided treaty. In fact it's not a treaty at all, all things considered. It only benefits the Americans. The senate's review of the VFA will clearly show that. It must be abrogated immediately. If the US is bent on working with the Philippines as a sovereign country, then it should be ready to revisit and review the treaty and look to terms and conditions that respect our laws and sovereignty as a nation."

News Latest News Feed