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Philippines president says he will ban troops after misunderstanding agency decision to defer vote on aid package

Philippines president rails at the US after misunderstanding over aid package,

MANILA // President Rodrigo Duterte yesterday threatened to terminate a pact that allows American troops to visit the Philippines after erroneously thinking Washington scrapped a major aid package over human rights concerns. But the Millennium Challenge Corporation, a US government aid agency, said it was only deferring a vote on whether to renew the development assistance package for the Philippines subject to a further review of concerns around rule of law and civil liberties.

Mr Duterte unleashed an expletives-laden anti-American tirade as he arrived in his hometown, Davao, after official visits to Singapore and Cambodia.

“I understand that we have been stricken out of the Millennium Challenge. Well, good, I welcome it,” he said. “We can survive without American money. But you know, America, you might also be put on notice. Prepare to leave the Philippines, prepare for the eventual repeal or the abrogation of the Visiting Forces Agreement,” he said.

“You know, tit for tat. If you can do this, so can we. It ain’t a oneway traffic. Bye-bye America.”

It is not the first time the 71-year-old president, who describes himself as left-wing, has made threats or hurled insults since he took office in June.

He has called Americans sons of b****** and hypocrites while courting China and Russia.

When China offered significant financial assistance, he said “so what do I need America for?”

Russia won his favour because “they do not insult people, they do not interfere”.

But Mr Duterte and his officials often back down from such inflammatory statements, which confuses everybody.

Philippine foreign secretary Perfecto Yasay Jr also criticised the US aid decision, saying it followed Mr Duterte’s pledge to move away from dependence on Washington.

The Philippines was due to receive another aid package after its previous five-year, US$434 million (Dh1.6 billion) poverty reduction programme was successfully completed in May under Mr Duterte’s predecessor, Benigno Aquino.

Millennium Challenge Corporation said it would keep monitoring events in the Philippines before the next board review in March.

The decision was a clear sign that America’s disquiet could entail economic costs for his country. His war on drugs, in which more than 2,000 suspected drug dealers and users have died in gun battles with the police, has caused concern in the European Union and the United Nations, as well as the US.

Mr Duterte boasted of having killed suspected criminals while he was Davao mayor.

“When I tell you now that I killed, do not term them as suspects because all of them died while they were fighting government people,” he said. He was vague about how many people he killed.

He asked God for forgiveness in advance, saying he may not have time to pray if he’s assassinated, but then blamed God for the existence of criminals.

“God, forgive me for killing these idiots. You create a human monster. So if you are God, why do you have to create these idiots? That’s why they die.”

But Mr Duterte, who has had a difficult relationship with president Barack Obama, said he would reassess when president-elect Donald Trump takes over.

“I have talked to Trump, he was very nice, very courteous,” he said. “I could not sense any hostile drift, or even the manner he was saying it, so, in deference, I’ll just wait. I will let Obama fade away and if he disappears, then I will begin to reassess.”

Yesterday, Mr Duterte dismissed two immigration officials facing allegations of corruption as he reaffirmed his commitment to ensure a clean government.

“I said before that corruption will have no place in my government,” he said.

“They will be held accountable for their actions.”

The officials are said to have extorted US$ 1m from Jack Lam, a Chinese citizen and head of the Hong Kong-listed Jimei International.

They denied the allegations.

‘ I have talked to Trump, he was very nice, very courteous. I could not sense any hostile drift Rodrigo Duterte Philippines president