MANILA // President Rodrigo Duterte on Saturday threatened to say “bye-bye America” and terminate a pact that allows US troops to visit the Philippines, as he reacted with rage to what he thought was Washington’s decision to scrap a major aid package over human rights concerns.
In fact, the Millennium Challenge Corporation, a US government aid agency, said it was only deferring a vote on whether to renew the development assistance package for the Philippines “subject to a further review of concerns around rule of law and civil liberties.”
But Mr Duterte misunderstood and unleashed an expletives-laden anti-American tirade as he arrived in his hometown, Davao after official visits to Singapore and Cambodia.
“I understand that we have been stricken out of the Millennium Challenge. Well, good, I welcome it,” he said. “We can survive without American money. But you know, America, you might also be put on notice. Prepare to leave the Philippines, prepare for the eventual repeal or the abrogation of the Visiting Forces Agreement,” he added, referring to a 1998 accord that governs American forces visiting the Philippines for joint combat exercises.
“You know, tit for tat ... if you can do this, so (can) we. It ain’t a one-way traffic. Bye-bye America,” he taunted.
It is not the first time the 71-year-old president, who describes himself as left-wing, has made threats or hurled insults since he took office in June. He has called Americans “sons of b******” and “hypocrites” while courting China and Russia. When China offered significant financial assistance, he said, “So what do I need America for?” Russia won his favour because, “ They do not insult people, they do not interfere.” .
However he and his officials often back down from such inflammatory statements, which confuses everybody.
Philippine Foreign Secretary Perfecto Yasay Jr. also criticised the US aid decision, saying it follows mr Duterte’s pledge to move foreign policy away from dependence on Washington.
The Philippines was due to receive another aid package after its previous five-year, $434 million poverty reduction programme was successfully completed in May under Mr Duterte’s predecessor, Benigno Aquino III.
Millennium Chllenge Corporation said it would keep monitoring events in the Philippines before the next board review in March 2017.
The decision is a clear sign that America’s disquiet over the rule of law and human rights under Mr Duterte could entail economic costs for his country. His war on drugs, in which more than 2,000 suspected drug dealers and users have died in gun battles with the police, has caused concern in the European Union and the United Nations as well as the US.
Mr Duterte boasted of having killed suspected criminals himself while he was mayor of Davao. But when asked how many, he was vague. “Maybe one, two three ... I’m saying, maybe my bullets hit them, maybe not, but after the burumbumbumbum, they’re all dead,” he said.
“When I tell you now that I killed, do not term them as suspects because all of them died while they were fighting government people,.” he said in justification of his actions. He asked God for forgiveness in advance, saying he may not have time to pray if he’s assassinated, but then blamed God for the existence of criminals. “God, forgive me for killing these idiots. You create a human monster so if you are God, why do you have to create these idiots? That’s why they die.”
But Mr Duterte, who has had a difficult relationship with President Barack Obama, said he would “reassess” when president-elect Donald Trump takes over.
“I have talked to Trump, he was very nice, very courteous,” he said. “I could not sense any hostile drift, or even the manner he was saying it, so, in deference, I’ll just wait. I will let Obama fade away and if he disappears, then I will begin to reassess.”
Also on Saturday, president Duterte on Saturday fired two immigration officials facing allegations of corruption as he reaffirmed his commitment to ensure a clean government.
“I said before that corruption will have no place in my government,” he said. ““They will be held accountable for their actions. They will face the full force of the law,” the firebrand leader said.
The officials are said to have extorted 50 million pesos ($1 million) from Jack Lam, a Chinese citizen and head of Hong Kong-listed Jimei International. They denied the allegations.
* Associated Press
