The Philippines wants weapons, not necessarily money, from the United States in exchange for the presence of its troops in the country.

President Duterte made the clarification after earlier asking the United States to "pay" if it wanted to retain the visiting forces agreement (VFA) with the Philippines.

The military deal, signed by Manila and Washington in 1998, spells out the legal status of American troops visiting the Philippines for joint exercises and other operations. The abrogation of the VFA, ordered by the President last year, has been put on hold for another six months.

In a televised address Monday, Feb. 15, the President explained the Philippines needed arms in case a war breaks out in the South China Sea. He warned that China might attack the Philippines over its apparent alliance with the United States. 

"Hindi pera ang gusto kong hingiin sa kanila (I am not asking for money from them)," Duterte said about his demand to the United States.

"Tayo malapit sa China. The theater of war kung mag-umpisa man, is dito sa China Sea. Ngayon, gusto nga natin, pinipilit natin na Amerikano tayo, we should be provided with the arms and armaments that’s capable of at least --- that would place us on equal footing with the other countries at war with us kasi titirahin talaga tayo ng China (We are close to China. The theater of war, if it starts, is in the China Sea. Now we want, we're trying to be pro-Americans, we should be provided with the arms and armaments that's capability of at least, that would place us on equal footing with the other countries at war with us because China will really hit us)," he added.

The President claimed that the Americans have not provided weapons to the Philippines.  He said American troops usually bring home the weapons after every joint military exercise with Filipino soldiers.

"Ngayon wala naman ang Amerikano, walang binibigay (Now the Americans has not given us anything)," he said.

"You know, I have talked to so many military guys. Sabi nila, iyong war games, it's coming I think on May. Ang Amerikano magdala dito ng mga armas, mag-display sila ng mga equipment and everything, tapos nag-war games, dinadala nila doon sa… Tinuturuan nila ang Pilipino paano gumamit  (Americans bring weapons, display the equipment and everything and after the war games, bring them back home. They teach Filipinos how to use them) during the war games and then after that, they go home and bring back their equipment," he said.

"That Visiting Forces Agreement may or may not continue depending on how the Americans will behave towards us," he said.

"When we say you pay, dapat talagang magbayad. Anong tingin mo sa --- ano ito? Tingin mo sa Pilipinas colony ng Amerika? Basta libre na lang lahat. Lahat ba --- tayo kung may ano, bayad tayo (When we say pay, they must pay. What do you think? You think the Philippines is a colony of America and that everything is for free? We pay when we want something) and we are at the mercy of the, you know, the Americans whatever they say," Duterte added.

Arms depot in Subic

In the same public address Monday night, President Duterte revealed that the US is slowly converting Subic Bay into a military base years after it was shut down.

President Duterte revealed the American military presence while lashing out at Vice President Leni Robredo for supposedly being clueless about foreign affairs including the alleged “many offenses” of the United States against the country.

The sprawling Subic bay was the previous site of the largest US naval installation in the country until 1991 when the Philippine Senate voted to terminate the US bases deal. The coastal area has since been developed into an economic zone and become a popular tourist attraction.

“Hindi mo alam kung mga pangyayari noong una, antecedent or precedent, na may ginagawa itong mga Amerikano, parang — parang ano tingin yata outpost eh  You don’t know about the antecedent or precedent that the Americans are building an apparent outpost),” Duterte told Robredo in a televised address Monday night.