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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider Duterte tells US to explain inaction in Panatag standoff before discussing VFA

Duterte tells US to explain inaction in Panatag standoff before discussing VFA

Published Jun 9, 2021 10:22 am

President Duterte said he will start talking with the United States about its Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) with the Philippines if it can explain to him why it did not force China to withdraw its ships during the standoff in the South China Sea in 2012.

President Rodrigo Roa Duterte talks to the people after holding a meeting with the Inter-Agency Task Force on the Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) core members at the Malacañang Golf (Malago) Clubhouse in Malacañang Park, Manila on April 19, 2021. KING RODRIGUEZ/ PRESIDENTIAL PHOTO

Duterte made the statement during his interview with Pastor Apollo Quiboloy of the Kingdom of Jesus Christ on SMNI on Tuesday.

During the interview, the President revealed that the VFA remained to be a problem for him and he will not talk about it with the US until they explain the South China Sea situation to him.

"May malaking problema tayo dito kasi nga nangyari itong broker ang Amerika tapos nag-atras tayo. Bakit ang China hindi nila pinilit na mag-atras rin (We have a big problem with the VFA because America brokered and we withdrew our ships. Why didn't they force China to do the same)?" he said.

"Unless they can explain it to me in a very simple way na maintindihan ng buong Pilipinas (that the entire Philippines can understand), then I can begin to talk about their foreign forces," he added.

President Duterte has been consistent that the problem in the West Philippine Sea started when the Philippines retreated from the standoff in 2012 due to America's intervention. He said the Philippines lost islands to China because of it.

"It was the Americans who brokered critical talks to solve the impasse there," he said.

"Sabi ng Amerika (The US said), 'We will not allow ourselves to be involved in territorial disputes.' 'Di nga kayo nakialam pero pinaatras ninyo ang Pilipinas (Yes, you didn't meddle but you urged us to withdraw our ships)," he said.

In February last year, President Duterte ordered the termination of the VFA after the US revoked the visa of his close ally Senator Ronald Dela Rosa and after the ban on the entry of officials supposedly behind the arrest and detention of Senator Leila de Lima. 

Last month, Malacañang asked the public to give President Duterte more time to decide on the VFA, saying he was still conflicted about it.

This was not the first time President Duterte's uncertainty about the VFA was made known to the public. In February, Duterte sought the public's opinion because he was unsure if he should push through with the abrogation or renew the agreement.

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