Justice Secretary Leila de Lima on Thursday confirmed that the government is currently reviewing the Visiting Forces Agreement, particularly with respect to the issue of the custody of US servicemen implicated in crimes in the Philippines.
"Ongoing ang review in the sense kasi they have been discussing iyong implementing guidelines of the VFA," De Lima said in a press conference.
"Walang implementing guidelines ang VFA. So since there are more or less contentious issues there, may mga provisions na medyo hindi malinaw, na medyo magkaiba ang interpretation ng US side at PH side kaya kailangan magkaroon ng implementing guidelines," she added.
De Lima said among those being discussed in the review was the issue of custody, as well as the interpretation of the certification of official duty of a serviceman.
The Justice secretary said the Department of Justice is among the agencies participating in the VFA review.
The VFA review comes as issues over the custody of US Marine Pfc. Joseph Scott Pemberton, who is accused of killing Filipino transgender woman Jeffrey "Jennifer" Laude in Olongapo City, have been raised.
Meanwhile, De Lima branded "unnecessary" what she considered the "theatrics" displayed by the Laude camp on Wednesday when they went to Camp Aguinaldo in Quezon City where Pemberton is being detained.
The victim's partner German Marc Susselbeck and Jennifer's sister Marilou Laude climbed a fence to enter a restricted area inside the military camp and demand to see Pemberton, who was detained inside a 20-foot air conditioned freight container.
"Naintindihan ko siyempre mga galit yan because of what happened but to go to such extent and may breach of security rin iyan. It's a camp. It's a military camp so you do not just barge in and push soldiers. So buti nga iyong ating soldiers doon, mga pasensyoso," De Lima said.
De Lima said that Philippine authorities could request custody over Pemberton once the case reaches a court and a warrant of arrest has been issued.
She said Pemberton's detention at Camp Aguinaldo was merely "in anticipation or preparatory for that stage in the proceedings na pwede na s'yang ikulong."
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