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Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte caused a diplomatic storm by declaring that joint U.S.-Philippines military exercises would cease, a defense agreement would be reviewed and, at an undisclosed time, he might "break up" with the United States.
U.S.-Philippines ties are going through "bumps on the road" and the Philippine military could manage if the U.S. were to withdraw aid, Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said Friday.
The value of U.S. military aid to the Philippines was "not that much," he said, and the military could ask Congress to make up for a shortfall of some US$50 million to US$100 million a year in U.S. military aid. Lorenzana added that the Philippines also intended to buy arms from China and Russia.
Duterte, well known for a ruthless stand against crime from his years as mayor of a southern city, won the election in May on a promise to wipe out drugs and drug dealers.
He said on Thursday if the United States and the European Union objected to his drugs war and wished to withdraw aid, they should do so, and the Philippines would not beg.
U.S. State Department spokesman John Kirby responded to that by saying total U.S. assistance to the Philippines in the fiscal year that began on Oct. 1 was US$180 million "and we're committed" to delivering that.
Lorenzana said he believed Duterte's objective was to diversify Philippines' foreign ties and cut dependency on former colonial ruler the United States.
"Maybe we should re-assess (the relationship)," he said. "Are we benefiting, are we getting what we should be getting from alliance? It is part of this growing up."
On Monday, Duterte said U.S. President Barack Obama should "go to hell."
Asked how changes in the security relationship could impact a strategic U.S. "rebalance" to Asia, Lorenzana said: "They are not lacking of any place to park their ships if they are no longer allowed to park their ships here."
A Philippine dispute with China over sovereignty in the South China Sea would not impede defense procurements, he said, adding there had been no discussion of the two countries working together militarily.
Lorenzana's show of accord with Duterte's anti-U.S. stand follows a similarly tough line from Foreign Affairs Secretary Perfecto Yasay who said this week Duterte wanted to liberate the country from a "shackling dependency" on the United States.
Yasay said the president was "compelled to realign" Philippine foreign policy and not submit to U.S. demands and interests.
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