DESPITE his anti-American attacks President Rodrigo Duterte insisted that he will not abrogate any treaty signed with the Americans even as the Philippines tries to chart its own “independent foreign policy.”
“I am not anti-American. I said, we are not severing our ties, military ties. It’s there already. Who am I to abrogate a treaty?” the President said in a speech at Villamor Airbase Tuesday evening.
Leftist groups have urged the President to abrogate previous deals with the United States, including the Mutual Defense Treaty, the Visiting Forces Agreement, the Mutual Logistics Support Agreement and the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement.
On Monday, President Rodrigo Duterte said that the United States Special Forces based in Mindanao should leave, as the world’s most powerful country has not yet apologized for its wrongdoings against Moros and Filipinos during the American occupation in the early 1900s, including the 1906 Bud Dajo massacre in which hundreds of Muslims, including women and children, were killed by US soldiers in Sulu.
He had presented the same photographs of the massacre during the Asean-East Asia Summit.
On Tuesday, Duterte said he wanted to buy weapons from America’s rivals, Russia and China, saying these could help the country combat terrorism.
Duterte said China even tried to give him a personal jet, but he gave it to the Air Force instead.
Leftist groups on Wednesday dared Duterte to “practice what he preaches” by abrogating the country’s military treaties with the United States, while two lawmakers supported the President’s decision to adopt an independent foreign policy.
Bayan Muna Rep. Carlos Isagani Zarate refiled a bill to designate March 6 as Bud Dajo Day to commemorate the massacre of Moro civilians by American soldiers during its brutal “pacification” campaign in 1906.
House Deputy Minority Leader Harry Roque filed a resolution commending Duterte on his intention to pursue and independent foreign policy.
Roque also urged the President to form an independent commission to investigate and make public through academic publications crimes committed against the Filipino people during the Philippine-American War.
He also urged Duterte to abrogate the “unequal” treaties with the United States.
Anakpawis Rep. Ariel Casilao urged Duterte to ultimately rid the country of the foreign military forces by abrogating all the military treaties with the US.
Casilao said the mere existence of the treaties was contrary to the President’s declaration of an independent foreign policy.
“The treaties and agreements with the US are not only violative of the national sovereignty and independent foreign policy, they are also unsuitable for the present situation with China’s intrusion in the West Philipine Sea,” Casilao said in a statement.
Duterte has repeatedly made known his opposition to armed conflict with a foreign country, and has expressed his preference for a peaceful, diplomatic solution to disputes.
“The very presence of US military forces in the Philippines is detrimental for a peaceful solution in the region,” Casilao said.
ACT Teachers president Benjie Valbuena said the “people’s victory” over the US bases in 1991 had been undermined by pacts like the VFA and EDCA.
He said the Aquino administration had “uncritically accepted” the permanent and continuing presence of US troops in Mindanao in particular.
It is a fitting reminder that US intervention is alive and well even without the formal bases to begin with, he said.
“Now with a President seeking the pull-out of US troops from Mindanao, our sector and the Filipino people in general should fully support him. It is a call by President Duterte himself, which reflects his desire for an independent foreign policy which stresses the need for the Philippines to chart is own course and uphold its national interest, free of any foreign dictates and intervention,” Valbuena said.
“Asserting national sovereignty against US imperialist impositions is a key action that we collectively undertake. Mr. President, we fully support your vision and actions towards the path to just and lasting peace,” Valbuena said.
The leftist League of Filipino Students added that they would “support him if he wants to kick out American troops in the country.”
Gabriela Rep. Arlene Brosas also said the exit of US troops will help the country tread the path of an independent foreign policy.
“We fully support President Duterte as he slowly but surely veers away from a policy of dependence and subjugation to US government interests. Clearly our ties with the US government have not brought about any good in terms of boosting our economy or even our military capabilities and the guarantee of national security,” Brosas said.
Earlier at the House committee on appropriations deliberations on the budget of the Department of National Defense, Secretary Delfin Lorenzana admitted Mindanao is host to at least 107 US military personnel, including 50 US Marines, 17 US Army, 20 US Special Forces plus a number of navy and civilian personnel.
The DND said the US government is conducting special surveillance and drone operations in the area.
“With the recent bombing in Davao and the worsening problem of Abu Sayyaf and ISIS in Mindanao, clearly, the US has not in any way assisted our country in addressing these problems. The President is but right in driving US military out of the country,” Brosas said.
Foreign Affairs Secretary Perfecto Yasay Jr. on Wednesday said he is ready to explain to US Secretary of State John Kerry Duterte’s decision not to join any patrol exercises, and to assure the US there is no change in the country’s policies.
Yasay said when he has an opportunity, he would convey the decision of Duterte not to join joint patrol exercises no only with the US but also other countries.
He will also clarify that the Philippine will not only undertake any joint patrol in the disputed area in the West Philippine Sea with any nation.
“The arbitral tribunal ruling upheld our 200 mile EEZ but did not rule on the ownership and territorial sovereignty over features occupied by China and the Philippines,” he said.
This means hat the area covered within our EEZ which is disputed by China is still international waters, he said.
“Consequently our engagement in joint naval or military patrols within the area that would suggest that we own it, will be provocative and will undermine our diplomatic processes towards the peaceful settlement of the dispute with China,” Yasay said.