From the Daily Tribue (Jan 7): Solon says VFA one-sided, calls for its abrogation
A lawmaker from the militant Bayan Muna yesterday lambasted the United States anew for demanding special treatment for its meat importations. According to Rep. Neri Colmenares, the provision that exempts meat importation is provided for under the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA)which also exempts these products from duties and taxes. “The Senate and House should approve Joint Resolutions filed in 2010 terminating VFA,” Colmenares said.
Colmenares pointed out that the VFA is sorely disadvantageous and humiliating to the country. “While our products entering the United States are subjected to rigorous quarantine inspection, US meat products like steaks are unfairly not subject to mandatory inspection because under the VFA the US military commander, not Philippine authorities, retains the power to conduct quarantine inspection and decide whether or not to allow Philippine authorities to enter US vessels or planes,” he said.
The lawmaker stressed the Department of Agriculture would not even know about the importations because of the provisions on these meat importations under the VFA. “Secretary (Proceso) Alcala should assert his authority to inspect products in US ships. Even if the US will allow the quarantine inspection of the intercepted meat, all they have to do the next time is just transport it through their huge naval ships,” Colmenares said. Colmenares noted that Article III, Par. 3 (c) of the VFA provides: “Any quarantine inspection of United States aircraft or United States vessels or cargoes thereon shall be conducted by the United States commanding officer.”
Colmenares also lamented that while the Aquino government has been raising taxes on Filipino workers, it could not even tax the US Armed Forces for their importations. “While our government is busy taxing our people with so many taxes, it exempts the US from any tax under the VFA. Article VII provides that “US equipment, materials, supplies and other properties imported into or acquired in the Philippines by or on behalf of the US armed forces shall be free of all Philippine duties, taxes and other similar charges,” Colmenares said.
The lawmaker said under the current circumstances the government should move to scrap the VFA for its unconstitutional provisions. Colmenares added if President Aquino does not want the VFA abrogated, Congress can do so by approving Joint Resolution 7 which has been pending in the House since Aug. 25, 2010. A counterpart Joint Resolution 3, filed by Sen. Miriam Defesnor Santiago, is also pending in the Senate since 2010. He said the approval by both Houses of Congress of the Joint Resolutions would by-pass President Aquino and would have the effect of a law.
http://www.tribune.net.ph/index.php/metro-section/item/8848-solon-says-vfa-one-sided-calls-for-its-abrogation
Bayan Muna (People First) is a CPP-affiliated party-list political party. Once again the commies rail against the VFA. The intent of the VFA is to facilitate the RP-US military-to-military relationship and eliminate many of the mundane governemt bureaucratic headaches. Does it make sense to inspect meat that already meets or exceeds Philippine standards and is intended only for consumption by US troops? Does it seem appropriate to tax military supplies that are intended to support US troops who routinely build schools, roads, clinics and provide medical and veternary care at no charge to the Philippine government or the Filipino people? Is it fair to inspect/tax military and civilian supplies that are brought into the Philippine as part of disaster releif missions like the recent mission to help the victims of Typhoon Pablo? Of course not. Leave it to the commie ingrates and America haters to raise this issue.
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