Duterte looks to boot US troops from Philippines

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte (L) talks to US President Donald J. Trump (R) before the opening ceremony of the 31st Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit in Manila on November 13, 2017. – Photo: AFP/Pool/Mark R Cristino

Duterte looks to boot US troops from Philippines

Filipino leader threatens to scrap Visiting Forces Agreement in response to US travel bans against his inner circle

ByRICHARD JAVAD HEYDARIAN, MANILA

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte has renewed a longstanding threat to sever security cooperation with the United States, an angry response to recent travel bans imposed on Filipino officials involved in alleged rights abuses.

The firebrand Filipino leader has also reportedly turned down US President Donald Trump’s invitation to attend a special US-Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) summit meeting to be held in Las Vegas later this year.

If Duterte follows through on his threat, it would mark a significant diplomatic and strategic departure for the long-time mutual defense treaty allies, and give China a new advantage in the contested South China Sea.

As the US and other Western nations ramp up sanctions against perpetrators of human rights violations in the Philippines, including those behind a lethal drug war, Duterte seems increasingly worried about his and his allies prospects as he enters the twilight of his six-year tenure.

By dangling America’s future access to strategic Philippine bases, crucial outposts in the contest for influence in the South China Sea, the Filipino leader likely hopes to deter any escalation of targeted Western sanctions against his inner circle and potentially himself in the months and years ahead.

At the same time, he has doubled down on his strategic pivot to Russia and China, which, according to the Filipino president, “respect the sovereignty of the [the Philippines]”, something that he says has been “totally lacking” by America and the West.

Since his ascent to the presidency, Duterte has been at loggerheads with the US and Western partners over human rights concerns. His scorched-earth drug war, which has reportedly claimed the lives of thousands of drug suspects, has soured relations with traditional allies.

The Trump administration initially sought to de-emphasize disagreements in favor of tighter strategic cooperation, especially in light of shared concerns over China’s assertiveness in the South China Sea.

But tensions came to head last year when a bipartisan effort to punish human rights violators in the Philippines was approved by the US government……More Here

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