President Rodrigo Duterte is confident that China will not attack the Philippines even after its termination of the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) with the US.
In a speech by President Duterte Monday night at a meeting of the Local Chief Executives in Pasay City, he said China would not attack and strike as long as the Philippines would not do anything wrong against the “sleeping giant” country.
According to the president, he has no problems even if Chinese President Xi Jinping would take a bath in Palawan.
At the same time, the president said he understood the sentiment of some cabinet officials who opposed the abolition of the VFA.
According to the president, some cabinet officials have graduated from the Philippine Military Academy (PMA) and trained in America, so it is inevitable that they would favor the US.
But for now, President Duterte is determined to end the VFA.
Duterte confident China will not attack Philippines after VFA termination
Duterte earlier said US President Donald Trump is trying to “save” the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) between the Philippines and the US.
“Ngayon, I’ll make it public. Because public official ako. Si Trump, pati yung others, are trying to save the Visiting Forces Agreement. Sabi ko, ayaw ko” the president said.
(Now, I’ll make it public. Because I am a public official. Trump, including others, is trying to save the Visiting Forces Agreement. I said no way.)
However, he refused because he found the US to be rude.
Duterte reiterated that the US has been interfering in the Philippines’ affairs, citing some senators who moved to cancel the US visa of those who supported Senator Leila de Lima’s imprisonment.
“One is that napakabastos ng Amerika. Sobrang bastos (America is so rude),” Duterte said. “Imagine demanding the release of De Lima under threat that we will not receive the aid at may kulatilya that all persons who had a hand in the imprisonment of De lima will not be allowed to go to the United States. P**** i**, ano bang nasa Amerika? (What’s so special about America?)”
Meanwhile, Presidential spokesman Salvador Panelo said the United Kingdom is offering military agreement with the Philippines.