Trump trying to save VFA: Duterte

MANILA -- US President Donald Trump is “trying to save” the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) between the US and Philippines from being terminated, President Rodrigo Duterte bared on Monday.

Despite Trump’s efforts, Duterte said he re

fused to change his position to scrap the agreement stressing that American lawmakers were “rude” for demanding the release of Senator Leila de Lima who is currently detained at the Philippine National Police Custodial Center at Camp Crame in Quezon City due to her involvement in illegal drugs.

“Si Trump pati yung (and the) others are trying to save the Visiting Forces Agreement. Sabi ko ayaw ko (I said I didn’t want to). One is that napaka bastos ng Amerikano. Talagang sobrang bastos (Americans are so rude. They’re really rude),” Duterte said in a speech during an assembly with governors and mayors in Pasay City.

“Imagine demanding the release of de Lima and the threat that we will not receive the aid at may (and there’s a) collatila that all persons that had a hand in the imprisonment of De Lima will not be allowed to go to the United States. What is there in America?,” he said.

Duterte also slammed the American senators for criticizing his administration’s aggressive crackdown on illegal drugs and claiming that he killed thousands of innocent people.