PASAY CITY—The Senate Committee on Foreign Relations opened a critical review on May 11 to dissect newly-ratified defense and legal agreements aimed at bolstering national security and regional cooperation. 

Led by the panel, lawmakers scrutinized the Status of Visiting Forces Agreements (SOVFAs) with Canada and New Zealand, which President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. ratified earlier this year. 

Defense officials including Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. and AFP Chief of Staff General Romeo Brawner Jr emphasized that these pacts are vital for securing maritime trade routes and enhancing disaster response, while senators focused on ensuring strict reciprocity and accountability to protect Philippine interests.  

Beyond defense, the committee tackled the ASEAN Treaty on Extradition, a landmark multilateral agreement ratified by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. last April.