Count Philippines out of conflicts, Duterte tells US

President  Rodrigo Duterte yesterday took a swipe anew at the United States (US), saying Washington should count Manila out of any expeditions or wars.
Speaking at the graduation rites of the Philippine National Police Academy in Silang, Cavite, Duterte said he would not allow the Philippines to be dragged again into conflicts involving the US.
“I’m addressing America right now, whatever expeditions that you will conduct, any wars that you will fight in any other countries, count us out,” Duterte said in his remarks.
He pointed out that past involvement of Filipino troops in US-led missions did not yield significant benefits to the Philippines.
“We got nothing all these years of sacrifice except brutality and agony. We will stand on our own even if we don’t have money. And we will never beg for any help. Sometimes it would mean really the dignity of the people,” he said.
Duterte also said that unless there were threats to national security, there would be no more joint expeditions with the US.
“We have been enslaved by two countries in succession: Spaniards for 400 years and Americans for 50 years. That’s enough. You have had your fill, do not ask for more. Your occupation wasn’t for free. You stole all natural resources. You stole the oil of the Arab countries, divided it arbitrarily to a nation and you are still getting oil and there is trouble everywhere,” he said.
 “So if that’s the case), unless we are threatened directly, there will be no more joint expedition, at least during my time. You wait for my term to end,” the president added.
 “I reminded them (Kuwait) also that in the so many wars in the Middle East at the behest of the Americans, I don’t know why, for example, the Iraq war of Bush, the first and the second, they always demanded that we participate in the expeditions. What I said, it is a two-way affair?” Duterte said.
The Philippines and the US are treaty allies, having signed the 1951 Mutual Defence Treaty that obliges American troops to help defend the Philippines if it comes under attack.
The two countries also regularly engage in joint military exercises for combat and disaster response, among others.
Duterte said upon assuming the presidency that he wanted US troops in Mindanao to leave and that he would no longer allow military exercises with American forces.
The annual Balikatan exercises continued, however. But the 2017 exercises focused on disaster response and medical missions.
The US has also been helping the Philippines deal with terrorism, providing equipment and training to the Philippine
military.