A week after saying he would sever ties with the United States, President Rodrigo Duterte on Tuesday said he did not mean the Philippines should terminate its 65-year military alliance with its long-standing ally.

“I do not mean to cancel or abrogate the military alliances (with the US),” Duterte said.

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The Chief Executive, however, belittled the said partnership between the Philippines and the US.

“Do you really think we need it? If there is a war, magkaupakan, do you think we really need America? And do we need China and Russia for that matter? Or do we need somebody?” he said in a speech before newly appointed government officials at Malacañang.

“Kapag nabirahan ang lahat at nabitawan ang ICBMs (intercontinental ballistic missiles) pati iyong mga [Boeing P-8] Poseidon, lahat na, there will no longer be American aid to talk of. There will no more be a country strong enough to rule. Hindi eh. Kapag nagdating iyan, wala tayong kailangan kundi ang pari, kung gusto mo lang mag-ultimo adios,” he said.

The President said only the US benefited in the military games.

“Sila yung nakinabang, sila natututo. Tayo wala? That is the reality on the ground,” he said.

The 71-year old Chief Executive said he wanted to push for deals that would benefit the education and health sectors.

“So let us go for alliances that would contribute to the health, to the education—kung aabot pa tayo ng—if there is a world waiting for our children,” he said.

Duterte is set to visit China on Oct. 18-21. He earlier said that during his visit, he would strengthen the bilateral ties between the Philippines and China and would not dwell on the issue of maritime dispute.

In his speech, the President also said he would go to Russia but did not give details of his planned visit.

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He then warned that Presidents Xi Jinping of China and Vladimir Putin of Russia were keeping an eye on the “arrogance” of the US.

“Alam mo, bantay sila itong arrogance ng America, Xi Jinping, lalo na si Putin. Huwag kayong—talagang—huwag tayong magkamali diyan. Talagang hihirit. Kita mo, kapag ginusto niya [Putin], kunin talaga niya. He wanted Crimea. He just went there and occupied it. Ang Amerika, walang nagawa,” he said. /rga

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