Palace: Duterte thinks Trump would’ve scrapped VFA too, wants US leader re-elected

If US President Donald Trump were the leader of the Philippines, he would have also terminated the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) between Manila and Washington, Malacanang said on Saturday.

"Given his character and principled stand on a matter of national interest, [Trump] would have done exactly the same thing he had done, and if he (PRRD) were the US President, he would have given the same reaction," wrote Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo in a statement.

On Wednesday, Trump said at a news conference at the White House that he did not mind if the Philippines ended the VFA because "it will save a lot of money."

The Palace said that it respected the American President's views regarding the scrapping of the VFA.

Panelo said it was because of Trump's "circumspect and judicious reaction" to the Philippine government's termination of the VFA that prompted Duterte to express his support for the American leader's re-election.

"President Trump is a good President and he deserves to be re-elected," Duterte, as quoted by Panelo, said.

The termination of the VFA came after the US canceled the visa of Duterte's ally and former Philippine National Police (PNP) Chief Senator Ronald "Bato" Dela Rosa. — MDM, GMA News