MANILA (UPDATE) - An ally of President Rodrigo Duterte in Congress called on Wednesday the latter's threat to end the country's Visiting Forces Agreement with the United States a "kneejerk" and "impulsive" reaction to the cancellation of Sen. Ronald "Bato" Dela Rosa's US visa.

House Deputy Speaker Johnny Pimentel, who belongs to Duterte's PDP-Laban political party, warned the abrogation of the VFA will have severe repercussions on the part of the Philippines amid its weak military capability.

“We know that the reason is because of one senator, but how about the hundred million people that could be affected by this? I would say impulsive reaction from this administration," Pimentel said at a hearing of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs.

The Surigao del Sur 2nd District Representative asked the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) to talk Duterte over the matter.

"I know the President will rely on your recommendations, and you’re the people on the frontline. So you should be very sober in recommending to the President what is the appropriate action of the Philippine government regarding this matter," Pimentel said.

The lawmaker lamented that the Duterte administration did not raise this much howl when Hong Kong denied former Ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales and former Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario entry over their complaints against China for its actions in the South China Sea.

According to DFA Assistant Secretary for American Affairs Maria Lumen Isleta, the cancellation of Dela Rosa's US visa is "well within the prerogative of any state," and there is no need for any explanation.

"We also exercise this for the Philippines. We cancel visas. No need for explanation. This is a prerogative and unilateral action by any one state,” Isleta said at the hearing.

Acting Foreign Secretary Eduardo Malaya said the DFA and relevant agencies have already met and will continue to hold consultations on such issues as establishing procedures for the termination of the VFA, determining the pact's agreement to both countries, and assessing the impact of terminating it.

Malaya said the agencies and members of the Presidential Commission on the Visiting Forces Agreement will submit their recommendations to the President as soon as possible.

On Friday, Malacanang said it has already started the process of terminating the military pact, and will no longer wait for Washington’s response. The VFA governs the conduct of American troops while on Philippine territory.

Duterte initially gave the US a month to reverse the visa cancellation of Dela Rosa, who led the government's bloody war on drugs during his stint as police chief from 2016 to 2018.

The US, which expressed concern over the Duterte administration's alleged disregard for human rights in carrying out its illegal drugs campaign, has not issued any statement on the cancellation of Dela Rosa's visa.

• PH begins termination of visiting forces accord with US

Dela Rosa had said he hopes to advise the President to instead "befriend America."

• Bato says he plans to advise Duterte to 'befriend America'

Malaya, meanwhile, said he is not aware of any decision yet on whether Duterte will attend the special summit that US President Donald Trump intends to host with leaders of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations. Duterte recently said he is not going.

An independent poll last year found 78 percent of Filipinos saying that Manila's ties with Washington are more important than with Beijing.

The US and China have exchanged barbs over what Washington say is Beijing's militarization of the South China Sea, where the Philippines, Taiwan and some other Southeast Asian countries also have competing claims. - report from Willard Cheng, ABS-CBN News