Duterte keeps VFA with US after security pact reaffirmation

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte has agreed to new terms for the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) with the United States, revoking his earlier order to terminate the defense pact.

Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque stated that Duterte's decision to keep the VFA upholds the country's strategic core interests and a clear definition of the alliance as one between sovereign equals.

This agreement came after receiving the US commitment to reaffirm its obligation under the 1951 Mutual Defense Treaty (MDT), which mandates both nations to aid each other in case of an armed attack in the Pacific Area.

The decision to keep the VFA ends over a year of uncertainty surrounding the pact, which provides the legal framework for US troops' presence in the Philippines for joint activities and war games.

The United States Embassy in Manila welcomed the decision, stating that the VFA strengthens not only the security of both nations but also the rules-based order in the Indo-Pacific.

US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin III highlighted that a strong, resilient US-Philippine alliance remains vital to the Indo-Pacific's security, stability, and prosperity.