Senate vows to ratify Philippines-Japan security pact

MANILA, Philippines — The proposed Reciprocal Access Agreement (RAA) with Japan is as good as ratified for Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri, who cited the importance of joint military drills – as provided for under the deal – to amplify the shared commitment of Japan and the Philippines to ensure stability in the Indo-Pacific region.

Zubiri made the promise in an ambush interview at the House of Representatives, where visiting Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida addressed the Philippine legislature in joint session.

The Senate, tasked under the 1987 Constitution to ratify the country’s treaties, will deliver the required 16 votes or two thirds majority in the chamber to get the RAA approved, according to Zubiri.

The deal would be Japan’s first with a member of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations and the third this year after similar pacts with Australia and Britain took effect, Kyodo News earlier reported.

The Philippines is entering into security deals with defense allies amid China’s increasing aggression in the South China Sea.

“We are ready in the Senate to tackle the RAA. I believe we have more than 16 votes to ratify the RAA,” Zubiri told reporters.

He expressed confidence that Japanese troops would not violate the RAA and commit abuses, like in the case of rape and murder of am Filipino transgender by two American soldiers deployed in the country under the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) with the US.

US Marine Lance Corporals Daniel Smith and Joseph Scott Pemberton were arrested for rape and murder of Jennifer Laude in 2014.

Smith was convicted in a lower court but was acquitted by the Court of Appeals. Pemberton was convicted of homicide but was given absolute pardon by then president Rodrigo Duterte six years later.

“The Japanese Self-Defense Forces are very disciplined… I doubt it would be a big issue,” Zubiri said. “We will have guidelines in the RAA for the Japanese to follow the rule of law in the Philippines that should not be abused, and for Filipinos to also follow the rule of law in Japan. The RAA will not be one-sided,” he added.

“We also saw with the VFA that there had only been two major violations of the agreement, and it’s been