WHAT WENT BEFORE: PH-US military alliance

The Philippines has traditionally leaned on the United States, a longtime ally, for security, but President Rodrigo Duterte has repeatedly threatened to reduce purchases of US weapons in favor of Russian and Chinese arms since coming to office in 2016. In September 2016, the President, announced his "independent foreign policy" as he ranted against international condemnation of alleged extrajudicial killings in his brutal war on drugs. But concerns were raised over obstacles to reducing dependence on the United States for security, including retraining a military deeply accustomed to working with US armed forces. In October 2016, the President said the United States had refused ...

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