Duterte to US: Forget defence deal if I stay longer

MANILA — Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte hit out at the United States yesterday, saying Washington could forget a bilateral defence deal if he stayed in power long enough, hours after he appeared to soften his stand against Manila’s traditional ally when he assured them that he has no plan to forge a military alliance with any country other than the US.

Mr Duterte said yesterday he hated having foreign troops in the Philippines and told the US not to treat his country “like a dog with a leash”.

“You have the EDCA (Enhanced Defence Cooperation Agreement), well forget it. If I stay here long enough. I do not want to see any military man of any other nation except the Filipino. That’s the only thing I want,” he said when commenting on a visit to Manila on Monday by Mr Daniel Russel, US Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs.

He did not elaborate on what staying longer meant. In the Philippines, a President is allowed only one six-year term in office.

Mr Duterte’s latest remarks are among a series of conflicting statements made by the firebrand leader against the US. The fresh broadside came as Mr Duterte was about to board a plane for an official three-day visit to US ally Japan, a big investor in the Philippines that is becoming nervous about its apparent pivot towards rival power China.

Mr Duterte had on the eve of the visit softened his remarks last week about a “separation” from Washington, telling Japanese media he was not planning to change alliances and was only seeking to build trade and commerce with China.

His tirades against Washington, however, have rattled Tokyo, with Japanese Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida telling reporters he planned to ask what Mr Duterte’s real intentions are. He said Prime Minister Shinzo Abe will do the same today when the two leaders meet.

“I think it would be important that we fully communicate through these occasions and directly hear opinions from President Duterte himself,” Mr Kishida said.

Japanese officials had said Mr Abe would not overtly try to mediate between Manila and Washington but would probably explain the importance of the US’ role in the region.

Yesterday, in a composed reading of a statement before his departure for Tokyo, Mr Duterte described Japan as a true friend that had played a “pre-eminent and peerless role” as a big investor and development partner in the Philippines.

But he quickly became vexed when answering questions and held up the front page of a Philippine newspaper which carried the headline “Duterte sparking international distress — US”.

Mr Duterte vented at Washington on several fronts, from its bombings of Manila at the end of World War II to embassy officials once questioning his intentions when he applied for a visa to visit a girlfriend.

“You know, I did not start this fight,” he said of the spat with Washington.

His overtures to China and hostility towards the US have raised questions about what Mr Duterte’s overall goal is and the extent to which his actions could shake up the geopolitical dynamic of a region wary about Beijing’s growing influence and US staying power.

It is unclear where Mr Duterte’s latest diatribe leaves US-Philippines ties.

Mr Russel had left Manila in a confident mood and US Secretary of State John Kerry had expressed optimism the two countries could “work through” a period of confusion caused by Mr Duterte’s announcement of his country’s “separation” from the US and realignment with China last week. AGENCIES