A week after of declaring that the country would break up with the United States, President Rodrigo Duterte eventually changed his mind yesterday as he declared that he would not cut military ties with allies.
According to his defense secretary, Delfin Lorenzana, it was still
status quo as far as security ties between the Philippines and the US
were concerned.
“We’re not giving up our relationship with the US,” Lorenzana told
reporters at the Senate where he attended the hearing on the Department
of National Defense’s proposed budget for 2017.
Speaking after an oath taking of new appointees in Malacañang,
Duterte said he did not mean to “cancel or abrogate the military
alliances” but asked: “Do you really think we need it? If there is a
war? If we engage in skirmishes, do you think we really need America?”
Duterte vowed anew to strengthen the country’s relations with China
and Russia, leaving the US way below the priorities of his
administration.
“Do we need China and Russia for that matter, or do we need somebody?
If they fight, if they launch ICBMS (intercontinental ballistic
missiles) or Poseidon (aircraft), there will be no more America aid to
talk of. There will no more be a country strong enough to rule,” he
added.
“When that time comes, we won’t need anything but a priest. If you want, you can recite the mi ultimo adios (my last farewell).”
According to Duterte, the US should also watch its “arrogance” as Russian President Vladimir Putin would always get whatever he wanted.
“Let’s not make any mistake. If he wants something, he will really
get it. He wanted Crimea and he simply went there to occupy it. America
was not able to do anything,” the President said.
The Ukranian territory of Crimea was annexed by the Russian Federation on March 18, 2014.
Source: Philippine Star
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