Pres. Duterte looks forward to see no foreign soldiers in PHL

From the Philippine News Agency (Oct 25): Pres. Duterte looks forward to see no foreign soldiers in PHL

President Rodrigo Duterte on Tuesday said he looks forward to a Philippines without foreign troops around, only Filipino soldiers.

Pres. Duterte made the remark in a media interview before leaving for his three-day official visit to Japan upon invitation extended to him by Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.

”I would like to say this with all candor, I look forward to the time when I no longer see any military troops or soldier in my country except the Filipino soldier,” Pres. Duterte said.

He said his goal of zero foreign troops in the country is part of his efforts to pursue an independent foreign policy as provided in the Philippine Constitution.

”I said I do not have to dovetail what the policies of our countries are and especially in the matter of stationing of military troops in my country. I really hate it. I don’t want it. We don’t need it. We are not going to war and there’s not going to be any war in the future,” the President said.

The president said he will visit Japan "with full trust that we can understand each other and Japan will understand my position vis-à-vis with the foreign policy that I want to implement."

"It’s just a question of a policy that is really truly Filipino," he added.

When asked if his administration intends to rescind the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA) with the United States, Pres. Duterte said he would like to discuss it with US Assistant Secretary of State Daniel Russel.

”We have the EDCA, forget it. If I stay here long enough, if it is an executive agreement, then I’ll just…I don’t want to see any military man of any other nation except for the Filipino soldiers. That’s all I want,” Duterte said.

Russel arrived last Sunday in the Philippines and met with Secretaries Delfin Lorenzana of National Defense and Perfecto Yasay of Foreign Affairs.

The US official reportedly warned Pres. Duterte over the latter’s fiery rhetoric remarks and deadly crime war, an interference that irked the Filipino leader.

”Russel says Duterte comments causing worries in business communities. Then go away, we can endure, we will recover I assure you. We will live and survive. We have gone to the worst of times in this planet,” President Duterte replied while holding copy of Inquirer newspaper which bannered the story about Russel’s warning.

The president said he is not a "tuta" (lapdog) of any country, including the US.

”You count me out. I’m not one of them. I am not also a tuta (lapdog) of any country. Mind you, only the Filipino can make me 'tuta'. Period,” the President said.

During state visit in China last week, President Duterte announced his separation from the United States while pursuing an independent foreign policy.

EDCA is a supplemental agreement to the previous Visiting Forces Agreement signed between the US and the Philippines in 1998.

The EDCA was signed by former Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin and US Ambassador to the Philippines Philip Goldberg in April 28, 2014. The Supreme Court had upheld its constitutionality.

http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=1&sid=&nid=1&rid=934420