Mas epektibo ang sibil, madiplomasya at magalang na paraan ng paghahatid ng mensahe sa isang matagal nang kaalyado gaya ng Estados Unidos, lalo sa usapin tulad ng Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA).

Binanggit ito ni Senador Panfilo Lacson, chairman ng Senate Committee on National Defense, dahil para sa kanya ay hindi dapat presyuhan ang kahalagahan ng VFA sa Pilipinas.

“The President may have used strong words to send his message across to the US. But certainly, there is a more civil and statesmanlike manner to ask for compensation from a longtime ally using the usual diplomatic channels and still get the same desired results,” banggit ni Lacson.

Related: Lacson: Diplomatic Approach More Effective in Sending Message to US on VFA

Ayon pa kay Lacson, mahalagang maipaabot ng Pilipinas sa Estados Unidos ang kapakanan nito sa ilalim ng naturang kasunduan, pero posibleng mas makuha ng kabilang panig ang mensahe kung ang gagamiting pamamaraan ay madiplomasya.

“At least give the other party an elbow room to save face instead of looking bullied and stripped of dignity,” banggit pa ni Lacson sa pamamagitan ng Twitter.

For national interest, we should. The diplomatic channels should be a better route to accomplish the same desired results. At least give the other party an elbow room to save face instead of looking bullied and stripped of dignity.

— PING LACSON (@iampinglacson) February 13, 2021

Una nang binanggit ng Pangulong Rodrigo Duterte noong Biyernes na kung gusto umano ng Estados Unidos na manatili ang VFA, “they have to pay.”

Ang ganitong pahayag ay hindi umano malayong maghatid ng impresyon na ang Pilipinas ay bansa ng mga kotongero, ayon kay Lacson.

“It was in that context that I posted a tweet on the matter on Saturday. I decided to take it down after giving it a thought that the President’s intention was to get a fair shake of the agreement, only he could have said it in a more diplomatic way. On crucial issues such as this, there should be no room for misinterpretation or misunderstanding moving forward,” paliwanag ni Lacson.

Kamakailan lamang ay binanggit ng mambabatas na kailangan ng Pilipinas ang VFA laban sa pagpasok ng China sa mga teritoryo ng Pilipinas kasama ang West Philippine Sea (WPS).

Ani Lacson, hindi maaaring mawala ang “balance of power” na dulot ng US at ibang kaalyado, para sa pambansang interes at “territorial integrity” ng Pilipinas.

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