Opponents of the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) between the Philippines and the United States criticized and belittled the phone conversation between President Arroyo and US President Barack Obama and said the campaign to abrogate the agreement will continue.

The two heads of state reportedly reaffirmed their commitment to the controversial treaty in the telephone conversation.

Sen. Francis Pangilinan on Sunday urged the Philippine government to revisit the agreement and take steps to correct it.

In an interview on ABS-CBN News Channel's Dateline Philippines Sunday, Pangilinan said the call would have been the perfect opportunity for Mrs. Arroyo to mention the national interest in light of the custody issue over US serviceman Lance Corporal Daniel Smith and the growing opposition to the VFA in the country.

Pangilinan, who is calling for the abrogation of the agreement, said nine senators have vocally questioned the validity of the treaty which seems to favor US interest.

"We were hoping PGMA could've mentioned fact there are questions in the Senate who question the validity of the VFA... our Constitution says it must be recognized. Our position in the Senate is that this is unconstitutional and we need to make presentations to correct it," he said.

United Opposition (UNO) president and Makati City Mayor Jejomar Binay echoed Pangilinan's statements. He said Obama's support for the VFA "should not stop the Philippine government from pushing for a review of the agreement, in the light of the recent decision of the Supreme Court" on Smith's case.

"This could even be the most opportune time to raise the issue of renegotiating the VFA, since the case of Daniel Smith is a human rights issue," Binay was quoted as saying in a statement released Sunday.

BInay said recognizing respect for human rights of Filipino nationals victimized by US soldiers, and seeing that justice is rendered fully, would be consistent with the pro-human rights foreign policy set out by the Obama administration, but said he is "not optimistic" that the government would raise the issue.

"The Arroyo administration’s human rights record has been criticized by the US State Department. Internationally, human rights groups and European governments have complained about the Arroyo government’s inaction and in some cases, complicity, in human rights violations," he said.

Binay also said Malacañang should not make a big deal out of the call.

"Malacañang should not make a big thing out of the call made by US President Obama to Mrs. Arroyo. In fact, the administration is duty bound to advance Philippine interests at all times," he said.

Protests to continue

Meanwhile, activist groups said despite the continued support of both Obama and Arroyo for the VFA, the anti-VFA campaign will continue.

Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (BAYAN), in a statement, said that despite the phone conversation between the two leaders and their support for the VFA, the campaign for its abrogation "will intensify in the coming months."

'Mrs. Arroyo missed a rare opportunity to speak out for national interest. She did not even raise the issue of rape victim Nicole and the custody of convicted rapist Daniel Smith. The interest of justice was again set aside in favor of upholding unequal ties with the US," BAYAN secretary general Renato Reyes Jr. was quoted as saying.

The group also scored Obama for carrying over the policies of his predecessor George W. Bush.

"Mr. Obama’s call to Arroyo does not show any departure from the Bush policy of US intervention in other countries through military agreements like the VFA. This is not the change that people expect from the Obama administration. He’s giving us more of the same Bush "war on terror" rhetoric," Reyes said.

"Obama, who is also a lawyer, seems to be unaware the that the VFA was not even ratified by the US Senate and is not even enforceable in the US," Reyes added.

Bayan said that Obama’s support for the VFA will not change public perception of one-sidedness of the agreement, saying that they will only be challenged o "further expose the real US agenda in the VFA."

Labor group Partido ng Manggagawa, meanwhile, said the call by Obama to Arroyo was "no surprise," because the VFA is in the "imperialist interest of America, and it is to be expected that Obama will ensure its continuation."

"The VFA must be abrogated at the soonest possible time. It is not just a violation of the constitution but an affront to our sovereignty. It serves the American imperial agenda but infringes on Philippine national interests. The VFA is to blame for the fact that convicted rapist Daniel Smith remains a fugitive from Philippine justice," the group said.

'Giddy', 'in ecstasy'

In a statement Sunday, Partido ng Manggagawa also criticized Malacañang's reaction to the call, calling Press Secretary Cerge Remonde and the President as Obama's 'little brown siblings.'

"Like a true little brown brother, Press Secretary Cerge Remonde was giddy with joy at the fact that US President Barack Obama called up Mrs. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. Since Remonde is simply her alter ego, we can surmise that GMA is no less thrilled and no less a little brown sister," the statement said.

"Showing their slavish mentality, Malacañang officials are happy that their master called up to make certain its imperial bidding is done," they added.

Muntinlupa City Rep. Rozzano Rufino Biazon meanwhile said the "ecstasy" of Palace officials over the phone call is "disturbing." He cited "Obama's statement that he is committed to the VFA is interpreted by Malacañang as being favorable to our national interests."

"While it must be acknowledged that the AFP derives benefits from the VFA, it must also be admitted that the US interpretation on how the VFA is implemented particularly the custody issue is clearly one sided. Obama's statement is not a commitment to respect Philippine sovereignty but a commitment only to US interests," Biazon said in a text message to ABS-CBN News.

"It is sad that Malacañang got so excited with the phone call itself and failed to discern what the message was, instead of asserting what the High Court said about Cpl. Smith's custody," he said.

"Malacañang got star struck and said, 'you had me at hello,'" Biazon added.

Petiton campaigns

BAYAN, in its statement, also said that its US chapter, along with Gabriela USA, kicked off last week a petition campaign to top US officials as part of an international movement to pressure the US government to abrogate the VFA and turn over Smith to Philippine authorities.

The petition, addressed to Obama, US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, US Senate Foreign Relations chair John Kerry, US House Foreign Affairs chair Howard Berman and House Appropriations chair Barbara Lee, calls on the Obama administration to surrender Smith to Philippine authorities, scrap the VFA, bring home American troops stationed in the Philippines and terminate military aid for the Arroyo government.

"The campaign against the VFA will soon be brought to Obama’s White House and to Capitol Hill. Filipino-Americans and other anti-war groups will be pressing the Obama administration to scrap this unequal agreement and to respect the sovereignty of the Philippines," Reyes said.

In the Philippines, he said, a protest action is also being planned on March 21, the anniversary of the US invasion of Iraq, where protesters will be calling on the US to pull out its troops out of Iraq and the Philippines.

"The Supreme Court may issue a ruling on a motion for reconsideration on the custody of Smith and the validity of the VFA. The Court of Appeals may also rule on Smith’s appeal to reverse his conviction. We have to be ready. Then there is also the 10th anniversary of the ratification of the VFA on May 27, 2009. There will be protests on these dates," Reyes added.

A broad movement against the Visiting Forces Agreement is also expected to be launched on March 17 to include senators who opposed the renewal of the RP-US military bases agreement and the VFA in 1991 and 1999 as well as incumbent senators opposed to the VFA and veteran campaigners against US military presence in the Philippines, Bayan added. With reports from Willard Cheng, ABS-CBN News and ABS-CBN News Channel