PHILIPPINES PRESIDENT DUTERTE SAYS WILL SCRAP WAR GAMES WITH US

HANOI: Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte said joint military exercises of Filipino and American troops next week will be the last such drills, although his foreign secretary quickly said the decision was not final. Duterte made the comments while addressing Filipino community members in Hanoi, noting the Philippines will maintain its military alliance with the US because they share a 65-year-old mutual defence treaty. During a two-day visit to Vietnam, Duterte said he wants to establish new trade and commercial alliances with China and Russia, and that Beijing doesn’t want the war games. “I would serve notice to you now that this will be the last military exercise,” he said. “Jointly, Philippines-us, the last one.”