Leftist group welcomes Duterte statement ending US-PH joint war games

From Update.Ph (Sep 29): Leftist group welcomes Duterte statement ending US-PH joint war games

Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (BAYAN), an alliance of leftist organizations, welcomed President Rodrigo Duterte’s latest pronouncement ending joint military exercises between United States and Philippines.

"We welcome the most recent pronouncements of President Rodrigo Duterte stating that the upcoming US-RP war games (PHIBLEX) will be the last under his term,” BAYAN’s secretary general Renato M. Reyes, Jr. said in a released statement.

“The move is timely and consistent with his avowed independent foreign policy. It’s about time,” he said.

“Duterte is correct in opposing US intervention in the Philippines and the West PH Sea. The war games serve no other purpose than to project US military might in the region, especially now under the US’ Asia pivot strategy,” Reyes said. “The war games do not help, and in fact may even complicate, our claims in the West PH Sea. The war games are an affront to our sovereignty.”

“Duterte is correct in invoking the favorable ruling of the Permanent Court of Arbitration in asserting our sovereign rights in the West PH Sea against China’s nine-dash line claims. We should avail of the favorable ruling and deal with China, without interference by the US,” he added.

President Duterte said in Vietnam, US is scheduled to hold war games again with Philippines, which China does not want. “I will serve notice to you now that this will be the last military exercise. Jointly, Philippines, the US, the last one.”

http://www.update.ph/2016/09/leftist-group-welcomes-duterte-statement-ending-us-ph-joint-war-games/9875