Duterte said we will forget Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA).
Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA) between the Philippines and the United States (US) may be scrapped during the term of Presidente Rodrigo Duterte.
This was one of the statements of Duterte before he travelled to Japan for his visit on Tuesday afternoon. During his visit in Beijing, China last week, Duterte bid goodbye to the United States.
This was the remarks of the chief executive following the comment of US Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affair Daniel Russel that Duterte’s rhetoric causes international distress, not only to the US.
This week, Russel visits Manila to clarify the status of the relationship of Philippines with the US.
“Yes, you have the EDCA. Well, forget it. If I stay here long enough… One day, that EDCA will… If it is an executive agreement then I will… I do not want to see any military man of any other nation except the Filipino soldier,” Duterte added.
Duterte said that he wants to have a closed door meeting with Russel when asked if he has plans to officially rescind the EDCA.
“Mag-usap kami ‘yung dalawa lang kami sa isang kwarto. I don’t want anybody else,” Duterte said.
Duterte also stressed that he is not a lapdog of the American government.
“You count me out. I’m not one of you. I am not also a tuta of any country, mind you. Ang puwede lang magtuta sa akin ang Pilipino, walang iba,” Duterte said.
The president also challenged foreign business investors to leave the country after expressing concerns over the spate of extrajudicial and vigilante killings of drug suspects amidst the drug war of the government.
“Magsilayas kayo, magti-tiis kami. We will recover, I assure you. We will live and survive,” the president said.
“Every time they said we will cut our assistance sabi ko sa kanila p**** i** ninyo. ‘Wag mo kami gawing aso… As if I am a dog with a leash, tapos magtapon ka ng pan doon sa malayo, hindi ko maabot,” Duterte added.
The chief executive said that the Philippines does not need military assistance from America since it does not have plans to go to war.
“They want to talk about the bogeyman of war. Stop that s***. Nobody is interested in wars anymore,” the president said.