He even denied any change in the country’s foreign policy with the USA, adding that Duterte was only trying to save the lives of the Americans who could be targeted by Islamist groups such as Abu Sayyaf.
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Duterte has said he intends to course an “independent foreign policy”, and he has taken steps to fix relations with China that were strained under his predecessor.
Read: Charting new directions in Philippines-U.S. ties?
The Philippines president is calling for the end of joint U.S. -Philippines operations in the South China Sea and reaching out to China and Russian Federation for weapons. “We’re not severing our military ties”.
On Monday Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte ordered the United States troops to leave the country, in a reflection of the popular mood.
In March, the nations announced that an April 2014 Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA) would grant the US troops access to five Philippine military bases, and the Pentagon said last week that there have been “no changes” to the agreement. His spokesman said at the time that Duterte did not attend the meeting because of a migraine.
Speaking in Laos, White House deputy national security adviser Ben Rhodes suggested Philippine engagement with China suited the United States and would be seen as “a constructive development” if it resulted in peaceful problem-solving and followed worldwide law. In his speech, Duterte showed photographs and cited accounts of how U.S. troops killed Muslims during America’s occupation of the Philippines in the early-1900s to explain his decision.
“China and Russian Federation would rub their hands with glee for any opportunity to enter the market”, Jon Grevatt, a defense industry analyst at IHS Jane’s in Bangkok, tells the outlet.
In Tuesday’s speech, he said that being publicly criticized for the rise in killings associated with the war on drugs was uncalled for and that if there was to be a discussion about it, it shouldn’t be done publicly or through the media.
“I don’t need jets, F-16 – that’s of no use to us”, Duterte added, “we don’t intend to fight any country”.
“These actions, these references that he’s making, are meant to communicate to one and all that we need to be ready to chart our own course”, Abella told reporters. He added that Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana and other technical specials will visit China and Russian Federation to determine what’s best, revealed Bloomberg.
Duterte said Monday the presence of US forces could inflame the situation and suggested that they may be kidnap targets or killed by local terrorist groups.
The U.S. military in 2002 deployed troops to train, advise and provide intelligence and weapons to Filipino troops battling the al-Qaida-linked Abu Sayyaf militants in the southern Philippines.
PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte has urged the withdrawal of the remaining United States troops from the southern Philippines, acting on this administration’s goal for a more independent foreign policy.
“Those statements are not policies set in stone”, Abella said in a press briefing. “There’s a difference”, he added.
Koscina said the USA government will continue to work with the Philippines in many areas of mutual interest like the disaster preparedness and emergency management seminar for regional media. “We’re not turning our back on anybody”.
Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte insisted Monday that he snubbed United States leader Barack Obama after Washington cancelled their scheduled bilateral meeting in Laos last week.
“For as long as we stay with America, we will never have peace in that land”, Duterte said in a speech before newly appointed government officials.
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The Filipino leader told members of the Philippine Air Force at the Villamor Air Base in Pasay City yesterday of possible deals with the two nations, saying these were “in the pipeline” and that “offers are coming in”, an ABS-CBN report said.
