MANILA (Bloomberg): President Rodrigo Duterte plans to order the termination of a longstanding military pact with the US, the Philippine Daily Inquirer reported, though the US State Department reiterated that relations between the nations remain strong. He previously warned of cancelling military agreement with the US due to deferred aid. The pact sets the terms for US military personnel operating in the Philippines. Yet, Philippine Defence Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said on Saturday that there are no official orders so far to Cabinet officials to notify the US on ending the military agreement. Pompeo said last year that the mutual defence treaty with the Philippines would apply if its vessels or planes were attacked in the South China Sea.

Source: The Star February 09, 2020 07:30 UTC