A National Artist for Literature, the star witness in the National Broadband Network scam, and the mother of a missing activist are among the conveners of the recently-launched Junk VFA Movement. The Junk VFA Movement describes itself as “a broad initiative that calls for the assertion of national sovereignty and the termination of the VFA (Visiting Forces Agreement).” It also calls on the Arroyo administration to regain custody of US Marine L/Cpl. Daniel Smith.

BY ALEXANDER MARTIN REMOLLINO
Bulatlat

Bienvenido Lumbera, 2006 National Artist for Literature; Rodolfo “Jun” Lozada, star witness in the National Broadband Network (NBN) scam; and Edita Burgos, mother of missing activist Jonas Burgos are among the conveners of the recently-launched Junk VFA Movement.

Also among the conveners are former Vice President Teofisto Guingona, Jr. former Senators Wigberto Tañada and Sergio Osmeña III; incumbent Senators Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan and Ma. Ana Consuelo “Jamby” Madrigal; Caloocan City Bishop Deogracias Iñiguez; musician Heber Bartolome; Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP) president Feliciano Bautista; Lyceum of the Philippines College of Law Dean Pacifico Agabin; and Representatives Teofisto Guingona III, Lorenzo “Erin” Tañada III, Liza Maza, Satur Ocampo, Teddy Casiño, Rafael Mariano, and Luz Ilagan, among others.

Launched March 17 in Quezon City, the Junk VFA Movement describes itself as “a broad initiative that calls for the assertion of national sovereignty and the termination of the VFA (Visiting Forces Agreement).” It also calls on the Arroyo administration to regain custody of US Marine L/Cpl. Daniel Smith.

Passed by the Philippine Senate and signed by then-President Joseph Estrada in 1999, the VFA grants extraterritorial and extrajudicial “rights” to US servicemen visiting the Philippines for military “exercises”. It was not, however, ratified by the US as a treaty.

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