OZAMIZ
CITY: Bayan Muna Reps. Neri Colmenares and Carlos Zarate said that the government
should be resolute and take priority over US refusal to turn over on the
custody of Marine Joseph Scott Pemberton.
The
American position is a violation of criminal laws and disregards the
jurisdiction of RP courts and law enforcement authorities over crimes committed
in here and against Pinoys, said Colmenares.
The
DFA cited VFA paper that states “the custody of any US personnel over whom RP is
to exercise jurisdiction shall immediately reside with US military authorities,
if they so request, from the commission of the offense until completion of all
judicial proceedings.”
Colmenares
calls it “unthinkable” allowing this, calling it “downright revolting that the
government failed to arrest and take custody of Pemberton and the US custody
prevailed over.”
The
American is suspect of killing a Filipino on RP soil, he added, and the incident
highlighted the patently onerous provisions of the VFA on the custody of the
erring US troops.
The
prescription of criminal prosecution and waiver of jurisdiction that
essentially grants immunity from prosecution any US military personnel who
commit crimes against Filipinos denies justice for the victims and all Filipinos,
the congressman added.
The
VFA and its provisions, is not only unconstitutional but also a violation of
our sovereignty and national pride, he said.
As
for Zarate, he said that what happened is “another insult on the country's
sovereignty, courtesy of the unequal and neo-colonial VFA.”
It
is now time to put an end to this barefaced and outright insult by abrogating
the VFA and all the other unequal security agreements and treaties with the US,
like the Mutual Defense Treaty and the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement.