Defence pact abrogation to benefit US: Trump

MANILA: US President Trump shrugged off the Duterte administration’s decision to abrogate the country’s defence treaty with the US, pointing out it was “fine” and that it would save the American people “a lot of money.”

“If they would like to do that, that’s fine and could save a lot of money,” Trump told reporters at the White House when asked for his reaction on President Rodrigo Duterte’s decision to cancel the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) that allows, among others, Filipino and American troops to hold annual war games or military exercises.

Trump also added he has “very good relationship” with Duterte who disclosed to a group of local officials meeting in Metro Manila earlier this week that Trump tried to “save” the VFA but that he rejected it.

But Trump’s stand stood in sharp contrast to the statement of US Defence Secretary Mark Esper that the abrogation was “unfortunate” and a “move in the wrong direction” after he admitted that the US government already received its official notice on the VFA through the American embassy in Manila.

At the same time, administration Senator Panfilo Lacson warned that the abrogation would place the Philippines at risk to threats of terrorism, both domestic and foreign as he pointed out: “The timing and reason for its abrogation are way off the mark.”

“The thing is, it is not the smartest move of the president to expose ourselves naked first before looking for other options for concern,” said Lacson, also the former chief of the Philippine National Police (PNP).

Among others, the VFA allows US military forces to advise their Filipino counterparts in counter-terrorism operations particularly against the Abu Sayyaf terrorists in Mindanao who pledged allegiance to the Daesh extremists in the Middle East.

But Defence Secretary Delfin Lorenzana, who sought a review of the VFA instead of cancellation, along with Foreign Secretary Teodoro Locsin, said the two countries would continue with their war games scheduled within the next six months or 180 days when the treaty is to end.

But Salvador Panelo, the presidential spokesman, revealed that Duterte likewise appeared to favour the cancellation of another US military treaty with the Philippines called the Enhanced Defence Cooperation Agreement (EDCA) signed in 2014 during the administrations of then president Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino and president Barack Obama.

“We can’t be relying forever. We cannot be a parasite for every country that wants to help us,” Panelo said in explaining Duterte’s stand against EDCA.