{"id":21385,"date":"2020-06-03T05:10:51","date_gmt":"2020-06-03T05:10:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/marinecorpstimes\/uncategorized\/2020\/06\/03\/philippines-suspends-abrogation-of-defense-pact-with-us\/"},"modified":"2026-08-08T06:10:22","modified_gmt":"2026-08-08T06:10:22","slug":"philippines-suspends-abrogation-of-defense-pact-with-us","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/marinecorpstimes\/news\/2020\/06\/03\/philippines-suspends-abrogation-of-defense-pact-with-us\/","title":{"rendered":"Philippines suspends abrogation of defense pact with US"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

MANILA, Philippines \u2014 The Philippine president has suspended his decision to terminate a key defense pact with the United States, at least temporarily avoiding a major blow to one of America\u2019s oldest alliances in Asia.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Foreign Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. said Tuesday he dispatched a diplomatic note to the U.S. ambassador in Manila informing the U.S. government that the Philippines is delaying its decision to abrogate the Visiting Forces Agreement by at least six months.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Washington immediately welcomed the move.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOur longstanding alliance has benefited both countries,\u201d the U.S. government said in a statement released by its embassy in Manila. \u201cWe look forward to continued close security and defense cooperation with the Philippines.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

President Rodrigo Duterte\u2019s administration<\/a> notified the U.S. government on Feb. 11 that it intends to abrogate the 1998 agreement, which allows the entry of large numbers of American forces for joint combat training with Filipino troops and lays down the legal terms for their temporary stay. The termination would have taken effect after 180 days, in August, unless both sides agreed to keep the agreement.<\/p>\n\n\n\t