SAN MIGUEL, Bulacan, Philippines – The withdrawal of US troops in Mindanao “one day” would help facilitate the peace talks with Muslim rebels, President Duterte said yesterday.
The President explained that Muslims are aware of the atrocities committed by “imperialists and view the rest of the country as an extension of colonial powers.”
“They think it’s Americans maneuvering. With regard to Mindanao, I never said go out. One day, I might decide that you should leave for now to give us space to talk,” he said.
Duterte’s clarification came three days after he said that US presence in Mindanao could worsen the security situation in the south.
He said Americans are at risk of being abducted or killed by local terrorist group Abu Sayyaf.
“The special forces, they have to go. There are many whites there,” the President said.
“If they see an American, they would kill him. They would demand ransom then kill him. Even if you’re a black or white American as long as you are an American, (they will kill you),” he added.
Duterte later on clarified that the Philippines is not cutting its ties with the US and its other allies.
“We are not going to cut our umbilical cord with the countries we are allied with,” Duterte said on Tuesday.
“But certainly, we will follow an independent posture and independent foreign policy,” he added.
In a budget hearing on Wednesday, Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana told House members that US troops would remain in Mindanao to assist Filipino soldiers.
“We still need them there because they have the surveillance capability that our Armed Forces don’t have,” Lorenzana said.
There are 107 American soldiers in Zamboanga City conducting surveillance operations. The Constitution prohibits foreign troops from engaging in combat operations.
Duterte’s delivered his statement on American troops after US officials expressed concerns over his brutal drug war, which has resulted in the deaths of close to 3,000 suspected drug offenders.