President Rodrigo Duterte has defended his decision to terminate the Visiting Forces Agreement with the United States.
In a speech in Malacañang, Duterte said that the country could not be a republic if it cannot defend its own battles.
He aslo raised the idea of the country being a province of China after the Philippines pulled out from the United States
“Kasi ‘pag hindi natin kaya, we have no business being a Republic. You might as well choose. We can be a territory of the Americans, or we can be a province of China, kung hindi natin kaya,” Duterte said.
READ ALSO: China may build on Scarborough Shoal with VFA repealed, says former Supreme Court Justice
Duterte said that he is shifting towards an independent foreign policy but some of his critics believe it’s one of his tactics to build closer ties with China.
READ ALSO: Malacañang: Duterte will not sign military pact with China
Duterte said he was assured by the Philippine military and police that they can defend the country without the help from the Americans.
“Sa Republic of the Philippines, do you need a powerful country—the most powerful country at that? United States of…? Do we need America to survive as a nation? Do we need America now to fight a rebellion in our entire country? Do we need their arms?” he said.
“Sila, maraming mga sophisticated intelligence gadgets. Tayo wala. Mano-mano lang ito so, but we are doing it,” he added.
SEE ALSO: PH to start termination process of VFA
How short-sighted and petty this president is! He thinks he is doing it for the Philippines security, but will achieve the opposite. He is has already waved the white flag and not used the coalition with other neighboring countries like Indonesia, Malaysia, South Korea, Vietnam, Singapore, Japan etc. Duterte only emboldened China’s encroachment. Now India will be benefitting in economic prosperity following its friendship with US. Philippines will reap the opposite. Had he been more strategic and a visionary, he would realize that economic strength will solve the drug addiction pandemic when people have jobs, buy new equipment to strenghten the military and will dissuade China and other countries from bullying the country. Duterte ran on war on drugs, but he has put himself in a box by employing the same ego-tripping tactic in the international arena. Now, Duterte made the Philippines lose the respect it earned as an emerging economy. Time for Filipinos to look for a better leader.