Duterte canceled an agreement that allowed the US to deploy troops in the Philippines in 1999 to protest Washington canceling visas of political allies.

"The President announced the cancellation of the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA). I asked him to clarify and the President said he would not change the decision," Philippine Defense Minister Delfin Lorenzana said yesterday.

This is considered a response by President Rodrigo Duterte after the US canceled the visa, refusing to let the Philippine senator Ronaldo dela Rosa enter. The U.S. Embassy in the Philippines did not explain the reason, but the decision seemed to stem from charges of murder without trial for more than two years. Rosa served as commander of the Philippine National Police.

The decision was made despite the intervention of many Filipino government officials. Foreign Minister Teodoro Locsin on February 6 warned that the measure could end a US $ 550 million security aid and US intelligence and training support. "Economic relations between the two countries are also at risk of becoming chilly," he added.

The United States may seek to cancel multiple bilateral military deals, including the Joint Defense Treaty and the Agreement to Improve Defense, and stop more than 300 joint training campaigns with the Philippines, according to Secretary of State Locsin.

Rosa, Duterte's political ally, leads the controversial anti-drug campaign of the President of the Philippines, in which the police are entitled to shoot suspects on the spot without trial. About 5,000 people were killed in the campaign.

Washington is Manila's largest defense ally, and millions of its people have relatives who are US citizens. However, Duterte does not hide his discomfort with Washington and tends to be close to Beijing.

The VFA, in effect since 1999, provides a legal basis for the presence of thousands of US troops circulating in the Philippines, for drills and humanitarian assistance operations.

The VFA's key provision allows Washington to uphold its right to adjudicate against illegal US troops in the Philippines, unless in exceptional circumstances. It also helps American soldiers not to comply with passport and visa requirements in the Philippines.