Philippines' Duterte tells US he is scrapping troop agreement

Rodrigo Duterte, the president of the Philippines, has given formal notice to the US of his decision to scrap a bilateral agreement covering visiting American troops, following through on repeated threats to downgrade the defence alliance.

The visiting forces agreement (VFA), signed in 1998, accords legal status to thousands of American troops rotated in the country for humanitarian assistance and military exercises, dozens of which take place annually

Duterte, who has made no secret of his grudge with the US and his disdain for his country’s close military relationship, believed it was time to be more militarily independent, his spokesman said.

Duterte made the decision after the top commander of his war on drugs, the former police chief Ronald dela Rosa, said his US visa had been rescinded over an issue related to the detention of a senator and critic of Duterte.

It is the first time Duterte has scrapped an agreement with the US, having throughout his more than three years in office denounced Washington for hypocrisy and for treating the Philippines “like a dog on a leash”.

“It’s about time we rely on ourselves. We will strengthen our own defences and not rely on any other country,” Salvador Panelo told a regular briefing, quoting Duterte.

Defence ties between the Philippines and its former colonial ruler go back to the early 1950s and are governed by a mutual defence treaty (MTD), which remains intact, along with an enhanced defence cooperation agreement made under the Obama administration

Duterte made the decision after the top commander of his war on drugs, the former police chief Ronald dela Rosa, said his US visa had been rescinded over an issue related to the detention of a senator and critic of Duterte.

It is the first time Duterte has scrapped an agreement with the US, having throughout his more than three years in office denounced Washington for hypocrisy and for treating the Philippines “like a dog on a leash”.