MANILA, Philippines – The Philippine government’s move to set in motion the termination of the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) is a message to the United States that it should respect the country’s sovereignty, Communications Secretary Martin Andanar said Monday.

“It’s really a matter of Philippines sending a message to the United States that we are not succumbing to their neocolonialist way of treating the Philippines. We are no longer a colony of the United States. And they should respect our sovereignty, they should respect our Constitution, our laws and our by-laws,” Andanar said in an interview on ANC Headstart.

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Duterte threatened the agreement’s abrogation should the U.S. fail to “correct” the cancellation of former national police chief and now Senator Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa’s US visa.

The cancellation of Dela Rosa’s U.S. visa was supposedly because of his role in the Duterte administration’s bloody war against illegal drugs.

“He’s (Duterte) very serious and based on the statement of President Duterte he is giving the American government one month to correct its actions on Senator Bato Dela Rosa,” Andanar said in an interview on ANC Headstart.

“So we are observing, we are waiting for the decision of the United States and after that we shall cross the bridge when we get there,” he added.

The government has started to process the scrap of VFA last week upon the President’s order, Malacañang said.

READ: No Bato visa, no VFA–Duterte

Despite its possible effect on the country’s cooperation with the U.S. military against terrorism, Andanar echoed the President that the country would seek assistance from Russia and China.

“Based on the statement of the President when he was interviewed by the Russian press, he did say that we can go to Russia, we can go to China for assistance in battling these terrorists and other issues that arise.” Andanar said.

“This is a matter of choice. And this is the prerogative of the President. And if he wants to open up our country to being friends with other superpowers like the People’s Republic of China and Russia, then so be it,” he continued.

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The President earlier said the country’s closer ties with Russia and China is because of their respect to the Philippines’ sovereignty.

READ: Duterte: China, Russia have respect for PH sovereignty

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