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Philippines terminates military agreement with the US

The notice of termination will be delivered to the US Embassy in Manila

SINGAPORE, February 11. /TASS/. The Department of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of the Philippines notified the United States about termination of the Visiting Forces Agreement, Dodo Dulay, Undersecretary for Civilian Security and Consular Concerns, tweeted Tuesday.

"On the order of the President thru Executive Secretary [Salvador] Medialdea, Foreign Affairs Secretary [Teodoro] Locsin signed today the notice of termination of the Visiting Forces Agreement, which will be delivered to the US Embassy in Manila forthwith," the undersecretary tweeted.

According to Manila Bulletin report, the Agreement will end 180 days after the US receives this letter. The Visiting Forces Agreement, signed in 1998, regulates rules for entry and presence of the US military in the Philippines, providing legal basis for joint military exercises.

President Rodrigo Duterte announced his decision to terminate the agreement earlier this January, following the Washington’s visa denial to Philippine lawmaker Ronaldo dela Rosa. The President viewed this step as meddling into Manila internal affairs. The US budget bill, signed by President Donald Trump in early January, involves entry ban for Philippino officials involved in criminal prosecution of the opposition figure Leila de Lima.

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