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Philippine Official Defends US Pact After Duterte Threat

Associated Press

   MANILA - The Philippine foreign secretary warned Thursday that
   abrogating a security accord with Washington would undermine his
   country's security and foster aggression in the disputed South China
   Sea.

   The warning came after President Rodrigo Duterte threatened last month
   to give notice to the U.S. to terminate the Visiting Forces Agreement,
   which allows American forces to train in the Philippines, if the
   reported cancellation of the visa of his political ally, Sen. Ronald
   dela Rosa, was not corrected within a month.
   "I'm warning you ... if you won't do the correction on this, I will
   terminate the ... Visiting Forces Agreement. I'll end that son of a
   bitch," the brash-speaking Duterte said in a Jan. 23 speech.

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