Scrapping of VFA sought over toxic waste issues

From the Philippine Daily Inquirer (Nov 11): Scrapping of VFA sought over toxic waste issues

The Philippines should consider terminating its Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) with the US since its military forces is the actual source of toxic waste being dumped in local waters. Sen. Miriam Defensor Santiago volunteered the suggestion Sunday after noting that US President Barack Obama’s plan to intensity its military presence in Asia would mean “the marked frequency of the visits of US aircraft carriers, nuclear-powered submarines and other increased presence of US naval forces in the Philippines.” The way things would go, it could mean “the VFA (is) on the way to becoming by itself, a toxic waste phenomenon.” .... In an e-mailed statement to the Philippine Daily Inquirer, Santiago said Glenn Inc. could not hide under the VFA’s skirts since international treaties that lay down norms of customary and conventional international law would supersede bilateral agreements. “The operations of Glenn Defense Marine Asia Philippines, Inc. in question, (dumping of toxic wastes in Philippine waters) are in contravention of Philippine law based on international standards that have long been established as norms of customary and conventional international law.,” she explained.  “The obligations of (the Philippines and the US) arising from these norms and standards cannot be reduced into the limits of a bilateral treaty between two states, such as the relations of the United States and the Philippines under their Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA),” added Santiago, the Senate’s known expert on international law....

http://globalnation.inquirer.net/55918/scrapping-of-vfa-sought-over-toxic-waste-issues