Duterte says Trump tried to save VFA but his mind is made up
MANILA, Philippines — President Rodrigo Duterte revealed Monday that United States President Donald Trump had tried to save the Visiting Forces Agreement but he insisted on scrapping the two-decades-old pact.
Duterte, who has been seeking closer ties with China while distancing himself from the US, said he is bent on terminating the VFA because of the "disrespectful" acts of Americans. He claimed the US had threatened to withhold aid to the Philippines if opposition Sen. Leila de Lima, who is in jail over drug-related charges, is not released.
"Now, I'll make it public, public official ako (I am a public official). Si Trump, pati yung others (Trump and the others) are trying to save the Visiting Forces Agreement. Sabi ko, ayoko (I said, 'I don't want to)," the president said during a gathering of local executives in Pasay.
"One is that napakabastos ng Amerikano, talagang sobrang bastos. Yung mga CIA (Central Intelligence Agency), nakikinig ngayon, mga Amboy, sabihan niyo gobyerno niyo bastos kayo (Americans are very disrespectful. Really disrespectful. If the CIA is listening... tell your government, you are disrespectful). Imagine demanding the release of De Lima under threat that we will not receive the aid, that all persons who had a hand in the imprisonment of De Lima will no be allowed to go to the US?" he added.
"P***** i**, ano ba meron sa Amerika ganunin mo ko (What is in America that you have to treat me like that)?" he added.
It was not clear whether Duterte had spoken with Trump or he relayed his view on the VFA through emissaries. The Philippine leader also did not mention anything about transmitting the VFA termination notice to the US government.
Duterte then denied endorsing extrajudicial killings, one of the issues tied to his controversial war on illegal drugs. The administration of former US president Barack Obama had criticized the campaign, drawing the ire of Duterte who responded by accusing Americans of interfering with the Philippines' sovereignty.
"What I said was do not destroy my country because if you destroy my country, I will kill you," Duterte said.
"Sobra sila kung uminsulto kasi (They have insulted us too much), bordering on the trashing of our sovereignty, wiping the s*** of the dog if you step on one. Americans went too far. Somebody has to remind them," he added.
Duterte also disputed claims that the VFA has benefited the country.
"We've been fighting the communist for 53 years. Kung nakatulong talaga ang America, p***** i** hanggang ngayon (If America really helped us, son of a b****, how come we are still dealing with it)?" the president said.
The president also said no accounting was done to determine whether Americans have brought nuclear weapons in the Philippines.
"The Philippine Navy was able to detect a US submarine sailing over Palawan. They did not seek permission," he added.
Duterte likewise expressed optimism that China won't harm the Philippines if "we also do not do something that will do harm to them."
"It is a geopolitical issue, territorial. Maski papaliguin ko si Xi Jinping sa Palawan, wala sa akin iyan (Even if I ask Xi Jinping to take a bath in Palawan, that means nothing to me). They do not mean harm if we do not also do something that is harmful to them," he said.
"Sabihin, patulan nila tayo (They said they would harm us)... that will be a lot of bull****."
President Rodrigo Duterte has ordered the termination of the Visiting Forces Agreement, which will expire 180 days after the notice of termination is sent to the US.
That notice was sent on Tuesday, February 11, 2020, according to Philippine government officials.
Duterte had previously warned the United States that he will terminate the VFA if the cancellation of Sen. Ronald Dela Rosa's US visa—believed but not confirmed to have been over the continued detention of Sen. Leila De Lima and the government's "war on drugs"—is not "corrected".
The decision to terminate comes amid a resolution by the Senate recognizing the president's authority to terminate agreements and treaties but also asking him to hold off on the decision while lawmakers conduct a review of the VFA and other agreements with America.
Activist groups have been calling on the government to scrap the deal since 1999, saying the Visiting Forces Agreement favors the US, keeps the Philippine military dependent on assistance and aid, and puts the Philippines at risk from America's enemies.
Main photo: In this May 19, 2018 file photo, Lt. Gen. Emmanuel Salamat and US Brig. Gen. Thomas Weidley lead the ceremonial furling of the Balikatan flag during the closing ceremony of the Philippine-US military exercises. The STAR/Boy Santos
The Visiting Forces Agreement with the US, which President Rodrigo Duterte decided in February 2020 would be scrapped, will no longer be abrogated, Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana says.
Lorenzana says Duterte decided to revoke the termination of the agreement after a meeting with US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin on Thursday night. — Bella Perez-Rubio
President Rodrigo Duterte extends the suspension of the abrogation of the Visiting Forces Agreement with the United States for another six months, Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. says.
"The president conveyed to us his decision to extend the suspension of the abrogation of the Visiting Forces Agreement by another six months while he studies and both sides further address his concerns regarding particular aspects for the agreement," Locsin says in a video posted on social media.
SFA @teddyboylocsin announces President Duterte’s decision to extend the suspension of the abrogation of the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) by another six months. #DFAForgingAhead#VisitingForcesAgreement pic.twitter.com/tdqlcZ5lzt
— DFA Philippines (@DFAPHL) June 14, 2021
The Armed Forces of the Philippines and the US military open the 36th Balikatan Exercise, which features military simulations made possible by the Visiting Forces Agreement.
The Balikatan comes after the termination of the VFA was suspended for a second six-month period and as tensions with China rise over its ships in the West Philippine Sea.
Sen. Panfilo Lacson reminds President Rodrigo Duterte that under the Constitution, a senator also has something to do with international agreements.
The president earlier told Lacson that he has nothing to do with the issue of the Visiting Forces agreement between the Philippines and the United States.
"Even an ordinary citizen of this country who feels embarrassed by his harsh, undiplomatic remarks concerning an existing bilateral agreement is guaranteed under the same Constitution to express his views. Not anyone, even he as President can curtail that basic right," Lacson says.
The US defense department has boostedthe Armed Forces of the Philippines' counter-terrorism capability with new equipment, the US Embassy in Manila says.
The capability upgrade is among the P1.4-billion ($29.3 million) in defense articles recently transferred to the AFP, Acting US Secretary of Defense Christopher Miller tells senior Philippine military officials as he met with Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana and Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. Tuesday in Manila.
In a statement provided by the US Embassy, Miller stresses the importance of the US-Philippine alliance to national and regional security.
Miller says the defense articles that were turned over last December 2 were transferred to several special mission units of the AFP to support its modernization goals.
The Western Mindanao Command (Westmincom) lauded the capability, especially the anti-Improvised Explosive Device equipment, which will form part of force protection noting that in the recent campaign troops have engaged terrorists rigging IEDs in its attacks. — The STAR/Roel Pareño
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