Amid transgender slay, Aquino thumbs down scrapping of VFA

President Benigno Aquino III. AP FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines – “Why should we abrogate the Visiting Forces Agreement?” That was the question raised by President Benigno Aquino III on Monday amid discussions on the custody of a US Marine accused of killing a Filipino transgender woman.

“Bakit natin kailangan i-abrograte ‘yung VFA? I mean, name me any place that doesn’t have crime. And the sin of one person should be reflective of the entire country? I don’t think so,” he said after the 70th anniversary commemoration of the Leyte Landing, which marked the return of the US forces to the Philippines during World War II.

(Why do we need to abrogate the VFA? I mean, name me any place that doesn’t have crime. And the sin of one person should be reflective of the entire country? I don’t think so.)

The President said what was important was to gather enough evidence against the perpetrators to ensure justice for the victim.
Aquino’s statement came more than a week after Jeffrey “Jennifer” Laude was found dead in a lodge in Olongapo after being spotted with Private First Class Joseph Scott Pemberton, who is among the American soldiers staying in the country for the joint military exercises.

He said the issue of custody is already being sorted out by the Department of Foreign Affairs, the Department of National Defense and US Ambassador Philip Goldberg.

“They are working on resolving this issue, ‘yung of custody. And at the very least making sure, based on the (Mutual Defense) treaty again, that he is available or the suspects are available for both investigation in any and all judicial processes,” Aquino said.

Under the VFA, the custody of an American soldier accused of violating Philippine laws remain with the US military.

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