Rodrigo Duterte threatens to end US accord over visa issue

The president of the Philippines renewed a threat to terminate an accord which allows American forces to train in the country unless Washington restores a visa for a political ally linked to human rights violations. President Rodrigo Duterte said in an expletives-laced speech on Thursday night that he would give notice to the United States terminating the Visiting Forces Agreement, or VFA, if the reported cancellation of the entry visa of Senator Ronald dela Rosa was not corrected.

"I'm warning you ... if you won't correct this, I will terminate the ... Visiting Forces Agreement. I'll end that son of a bitch," Duterte said in televised remarks in central Leyte province. The security accord took effect in 1999 and provides the legal cover for American troops to enter the Philippines for joint training with Filipino troops.

A separate defence pact subsequently signed by the treaty allies in 2014, the Enhanced Defence Cooperation Agreement, allowed the extended stay of US forces and authorized them to build and maintain barracks and other facilities in designated Philippine military camps. There was no immediate reaction from US officials. The Philippines' Department of Justice said on Friday it would study how the agreement's abrogation could be done. Despite Duterte's critical stance, US-Philippine defence ties have remained robust and joint military exercises even increased in numbers last year.