Philippine President Duterte Again Claims US 'Reaching Out' To Reinstate VFA Military Treaty

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte is still claiming that the United States government is reaching out to him to reverse his unilateral decision to terminate the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA), which he says is an intrusion of the U.S. into Philippine sovereignty.

His latest comments came on Tuesday before the president was scheduled to participate in the oath-taking ceremony of some newly appointed officials in Malacañang, the presidential palace in Manila.

Duterte may have been referring to a meeting with U.S. Ambassador to the Philippines Sung Kim held before the oath-talking as an example of Washington “reaching out”, but all indications point to him doubling down on previous statements where he falsely claimed that U.S. President Donald Trump is doing all he can to save the VFA.

Trump, in mid-February speaking from the White House, said he had not discussed the VFA with Duterte and instead expressed some gratitude over the termination. On Feb. 12, Trump said, “I really don’t mind, if they would like to do that, that’s fine. We’ll save a lot of money. You know my views are different from other people. I view it as, ‘Thank you very much, we’ll save a lot of money.’”

Duterte’s spoke about his meeting with Ambassador Kim where they discussed Philippine-U.S. relations and said, “[Partly translated] So, I told the ambassador that the ruckus… It came to a (point) in my quarrel with them that I have to end the VFA. Now they keep on reaching out,” with no indication that Kim or Trump was pleading for him to overturn his decision on the VFA.

The agreement gives legal status to U.S. troops who were rotated in the country for military exercises and humanitarian assistance operations. Both countries benefitted but some Philippine leaders say it favored the U.S. more than the Southeast Asian archipelago. The termination will go into effect in early August, 180 days after the request unless it is overturned.

Duterte’s decision to abrogate was based on the U.S Embassy’s decision to refuse a visa to Duterte’s former head of police over alleged human rights abuses and the detention of Duterte critic Senator Leila De Lima, who has been detained for drug-related charges. Duterte critics say her detention is illegal and an infringement on her rights.

The former police chief, Senator Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa, carried out Duterte's controversial anti-drug campaign that led to the executions of more than 12,000 drug suspects in the Philippines.

Duterte, 74, has compared himself to Trump in that his priority is the Philippines similar to Trump's "America First' agenda. He takes great umbrage at any outsider who uses alleged human rights abuses as a weapon against him.