Duterte threatens to scrap VFA over US 'arms depots'

MANILA, Philippines — President Rodrigo Duterte threatened to abrogate the Visiting Forces Agreement after accusing the US of building arms depots in the country.

The president claimed that the US military is unloading arms in Palawan, Cagayan de Oro and Pampanga.

"I am serving notice to the Armed Forces of the United States: Do not do it. I will not allow it," Duterte said in a media briefing early Monday.

Duterte said that there is a provision in the VFA stating that there shall be no permanent military facilities in the country.

The president said that he will consider reviewing and ultimately abrogate the security treaty.

"A depot by any other name is a depot. It’s a permanent structure to house arms. And I do not even know if there is a nuclear tip now that they are unloading because that’s prohibited," the president said.

Duterte added that the arms depots will serve as the US troops' supply line against China's missiles pointed at American expeditions in the Philippines.

"Those missiles are very near the Philippines. They will hit Cagayan, Palawan and Basa. So? I am not stupid to allow that to happen. You may be our friend but don’t include us in your fight. You place us all in danger," Duterte said.

The Armed Forces of the Philippines, however, has said that there have been no incidents to confirm Duterte's accusation against the US.

“They are authorized to unload their tanks in Subic Bay to be used during exercises so it might have been borne out of those reports and we’re still checking how it came to be,” AFP spokesperson Brig. Gen. Restituto Padilla said.

Duterte also accused the US of forcing him to resolve the South China Sea dispute around the framework of the ruling of the Permanent Court of Arbitration.

The president stressed that he and Chinese Xi Jinping will talk about the arbitral tribunal's decision during his term.

"When I received, I read the copy altogether, I had two choices: Go there and destroy the structures because that is ours and go to war or talk. So I was looking at our resources, can we do it? Because if we can do it we’d already be there. But can we fight China?" the president said.

On July 12, 2016, the PCA ruled that China violated its commitment under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea by building artificial islands in the Spratly Islands, which is part of the Philippines' exclusive economic zone.

China refused to honor the decision and insists that it has indisputable sovereignty over the South China Sea.