カテゴリー: Diplomacy

Japan may start ratification hearings of RAA in third quarter of 2025: AFP

/ Manila Shimbun
By Robina Asido
Japan’s parliament will start ratification hearings of the Reciprocal Access Agreement (RAA) by the third quarter of 2025, Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) officials said on Thursday.
Maj. Gen. Rommel Cordova, Deputy Chief of Staff for Plans of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), said the ratification of RAA is scheduled to start during summer season next year.
“In our case, I think the (ratification) process has started so it’s now being deliberated by our Senate. In their case I was informed that the process will start in the summer of 2025, summer of 2025 is I think July to August,” he said.
Cardova noted that because of the schedule of the ratification of RAA in Japan, the Self-Defense Forces of Japan will continue to participate in next year’s Balikatan exercise as observers.
“Our Balikatan 2025 will be held on late April or early May so for 2025 as much as we wanted to, the JSDF could not participate as a full partner in the Balikatan but as they have been doing they can participate as observers in the Balikatan exercises,” he said.
In a previous interview during the Mutual Defense Board – Security Engagement Board (MDB-SEB) meeting between the United States and Philippine in Baguio City last August, AFP chief Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr. expressed hope that the ratification of the RAA will be completed before the opening of 40th Balikatan exercise next year.
Brawner said the JSDF could join next year’s Balikatan exercises as regular participants once the recently signed RAA that was signed last July 8 is ratified before the start of the annual exercise between the Philippines and United States.
The Senate Committee on Foreign Relations has conducted one public hearing for RAA which was attended by Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. last November 25.

Just last week, Senate President Francis Escudero said that the Senate may ratify the Reciprocal Access Agreement (RAA) between Philippines and Japan before the 19th Congress goes on its Christmas break on December 20. Robina Asido/DMS

OFW returning to country after spared from Indon death row

/ Manila Shimbun

Overseas Filipino worker (OFW) Mary Jane Veloso will soon return to the country after more than a decade of Philippine diplomacy and consultations with the Indonesian government, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. announced on Wednesday.

“After over a decade of diplomacy and consultations with the Indonesian government, we managed to delay her execution long enough to reach an agreement to finally bring her back to the Philippines,” Marcos said on his social media page.

Marcos expressed his heartfelt gratitude to Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto and the Indonesian government for their goodwill.

He said this reflects the strengthened partnership between the Philippines and Indonesia.

The President also noted the two nations’ shared commitment to justice and compassion.

“I extend my heartfelt gratitude to President Prabowo Subianto and the Indonesian government for their goodwill. This outcome is a reflection of the depth [of] our nation’s partnership with Indonesia—united in a shared commitment to justice and compassion,” Marcos said.

“Thank you, Indonesia. We look forward to welcoming Mary Jane home,” he added.

During the 42nd ASEAN Summit and Related Summits in Indonesia in May 2023, Marcos emphasized the Philippine government had consistently appealed to Indonesia for Veloso’s pardon, commutation of sentence, and extradition so she could serve her sentence in the Philippines.

Veloso has been detained in Indonesia since 2010 after being arrested on drug trafficking charges.

Rhe Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) formally requested clemency for Veloso on September 6, 2022. She was arrested in Yogyakarta in 2010 after she was found carrying a suitcase containing over 2.6 kilograms of heroin. She was sentenced to death in the same year. Presidential News Desk