Duterte threatens to scrap military agreement with U.S. over visa cancellation of former aide

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte threatened on Thursday to scrap the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) between the Philippines and the United States if the U.S. "will not correct" the cancellation of visa of his former aide and now senator Ronald Dela Rosa.

"I'm warning you. This is the first time. (If you do not correct that) one: I will terminate the Visiting Forces Agreement," Duterte said in a speech in Leyte province.

Duterte made the threat after the U.S. cancelled the U.S. visa of Dela Rosa, Duterte's former police chief who implemented Duterte's war on drugs. Dela Rosa told reporters that he believed his visa was cancelled because of his role in the war on drugs.

Dela Rosa confirmed on Wednesday that his visa was cancelled without explanation.

Duterte said he will cancel the VFA if the U.S. will not reverse its decision to cancel Dela Rosa's visa.

Duterte said he is giving the U.S. government a month to reverse its cancellation of Dela Rosa's visa.

The VFA, which took effect in 1999, allows U.S. military forces to conduct joint military exercises with Philippines troops on Philippine soil.

The 2020 federal budget of the U.S. contains a provision banning the entry into the U.S. of personalities involved in the detention of Senator Leila De Lima, who has been detained over drug-related charges since February 2017.

Duterte said he wants to bar the U.S. lawmakers involved in the crafting of the provision from entering the Philippines.