Duterte wants to end Edca

MANILA – President Rodrigo Duterte threatened anew on Tuesday that he would scrap Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (Edca) in the future.

“We have the Edca? Well, forget it. If I stay here long enough, one day, that Edca will – if it’s an executive agreement, then I will have…” Duterte said, ending his statement by sweeping his hands, indicating the possibility to rescind the agreement.

Edca was signed by the Philippines and the United States (US) in 2014 to bolster defense and security cooperation between the two countries.

The President had already ordered his legal team to scrutinize thoroughly the Edca upon learning that it does not bear the signature of his predecessor, former President Benigno Aquino III.

Duterte had warned the US that he would repeal the joint agreement if the finding of the legal team shows that Edca is deemed ineffective because of Aquino’s failure to sign it.

Prior to his warning, Duterte took an apparent swipe at US Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs Daniel Russel for criticizing his rhetoric and deadly war on drugs.

Russel went to the Philippines and met with defense and foreign ministers on Monday, following Duterte’s announcement last week that the country would separate from the US.

Duterte downplayed Russel’s statement and said that it was the Americans who started the feud with the Philippines.

“You know, I did not start the fight, they are the ones who started it,” the President said.

“I don’t want to [speak against them] but when I read the news this morning, these Americans are really insane. You see, he will go here and act [vauntingly],” he added. SUNNEX