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Duterte to US: Deliver COVID-19 vaccine to PH or forget about VFA

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Dennis Gasgonia, ABS-CBN News

<div class='embed-wrap'><figure data-feedback='fb:likes,fb:comments'><img src='http://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2020/life/12/26/20201226-marines-and-their-philippine-counterpart-fold-their-respective-flags-ap.jpg' ><figcaption>US Marines from the 3rd Marine Expeditionary Brigade and their Philippine counterpart fold their respective flags at the closing ceremony of the 33rd joint US-Philippines amphibious landing exercises dubbed PHIBLEX at the marines corps in suburban Taguig city. Bullit Marquez, AP/file</figcaption></figure></div>MANILA (UPDATE) - President Rodrigo Duterte on Saturday said he would end the country's military pact with the United States if it fails to deliver COVID-19 vaccines."'Yung Visiting Forces Agreement matatapos na. Ngayon 'pag hindi ako pumayag, aalis talaga sila. 'Pag di sila naka-deliver maski minimum ng 20 million vaccines, better get out. No vaccine, no stay here," Duterte said in a meeting attended by the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) on COVID-19 mitigation.(The VFA nears its end. If I don't approve, they will be booted out. If they fail to deliver a minimum of 20 million vaccines, they better get out.)<ul class='op-related-articles'>	<li><a href='https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/12/27/20/malacaang-pfizer-files-for-emergency-use-application-in-ph'>Malacañang: Pfizer files for emergency use application in PH</a></li></ul>Duterte also lashed at Washington for being critical of his administration, particularly on the issue of human rights.The President had ordered the termination of the VFA earlier this year, after Washington invoked the American Magnitsky Act and denied the issuance of a US visa to Sen. Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa.In June, Duterte <a href='https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/06/03/20/lorenzana-says-ready-to-work-with-us-military-again-as-duterte-shelves-vfa-repeal'>shelved</a> the abrogation of the VFA.<ul class='op-related-articles'>	<li><a href='https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/12/26/20/we-are-indebted-duterte-lauds-doctors-in-ph-fight-vs-covid-19-new-strain'>‘We are indebted’: Duterte lauds doctors in PH fight vs COVID-19, new strain</a></li></ul>The issue resurfaced when the Philippines joined other countries in the race to secure the sought-after vaccines."Do not believe in that sh*t, na America delivering kaagad. Hindi nga nila ma-deliver agad sa kanilang lugar, dito pa? Itong mga Amerikano . . . Maniwala kayo," Duterte said.(Do not believe in that sh*t that America will deliver immediately. They can't even deliver it right away in their area, what more here? These Americans . . . Don't believe them.)"Naging cynic ako sa kanila. Kung ibigay, eh di ibigay. If you want to help, you deliver (and) stop talking. What we need is the vaccine, not your verbose speeches."(I've become cynic to them. If they give it, then good.)The President is only demanding fair treatment from the US, his spokesman Harry Roque said Sunday."Kinakailangan patas ang relasyon natin. At kung 'di mabibigay ang vaccine sa'tin ay goodbye VFA ang sinasabi ni Presidente," Roque told ABS-CBN's TeleRadyo.(We must have an equal relationship. And if they can't give vaccine to us, then it's goodbye VFA. That's what the President is saying.)"Ang mensahe ng Presidente, meron tayong kailangan sa isa’t isa, kailangan magdeliver, 'di pupuwede na pangako lamang."(The message of the President is we need something from each other, they need to deliver, they can't just make promises.)The Philippines was supposed to get at least 10 million doses of Pfizer vaccines, to be financed by the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank, said Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr.The deal, however, fell through, with Locsin alleging that someone "<a href='https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/12/16/20/duque-says-negotiations-with-pfizer-still-ongoing'>dropped the ball</a>".At Saturday's IATF meeting, Duterte said in jest that if the Philippines fails to get a vaccine against COVID-19, Sec. Carlito Galvez of the government's Peace Process, Defense Sec. Delfin Lorenzana, and Interior Secretary Eduardo Año may "face the firing squad".Duterte recalled designating Galvez as vaccine czar aside from being the chief implementer of the government's response against the COVID-19 pandemic, while Lorenzana and Año are chair and vice-chair, respectively, of the COVID-19 task force.All three are retired military officers."Ito pang vaccine, at what price, what is the brand, kay Galvez ‘yan lahat. So, binigay ko ‘yan sa kanya. It means to say that I trust him to get a good bargain for government. Pero sa ngayon, lahat ng vaccine naman talagang nagmamadali," said Duterte.(On the vaccine, at what price, what is the brand, it's all on Galvez. I entrusted this to him... Although today, everyone is rushing to get the vaccine.)"I placed it in the hands of Gen. Galvez. Iyo lahat ‘yan. Pagka nagkabulilyaso ‘yan, ikaw ang titirahin namin. Iyo ‘yan. Well, of course, the policies would be made by General Lorenzana and General Año. Itong ano, sila ‘yan," he added.(It's all yours. If a problem comes up, we will go after you. That's yours... It's all on them.)"If it fails, then you have three generals to face the firing squad. [laughter] P***, ayusin ninyo ‘yan."(B***h, do it right.)<ul class='op-related-articles'>	<li><a href='https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/07/31/20/who-are-the-ex-generals-leading-the-presidents-covid-19-response-plan'>Who are the ex-generals leading the President's COVID-19 response plan?</a></li></ul><figure class='op-interactive'><iframe height='315' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/M0Kj7GgLhqs?enablejsapi=1' width='560'></iframe></figure><div class='iwantbar'>Watch more in <a href='//www.iwantv.com.ph/'>iWantv</a> or <a href='//tfc.tv/'>TFC.tv</a></div><div>- with report from Gillan Ropero, ABS-CBN News</div>

MANILA (UPDATE) - President Rodrigo Duterte on Saturday said he would end the country's military pact with the United States if it fails to deliver COVID-19 vaccines.

MANILA (UPDATE) - President Rodrigo Duterte on Saturday said he would end the country's military pact with the United States if it fails to deliver COVID-19 vaccines.

Duterte to US: Deliver COVID-19 vaccine to PH or forget about VFA

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Duterte to US: Deliver COVID-19 vaccine to PH or forget about VFA

Dennis Gasgonia,

ABS-CBN News

Published December 27, 2020 01:45 AM PHT

|

Updated December 27, 2020 09:57 AM PHT

Read More:

VFA

Visiting Forces Agreement

President Rodrigo Duterte

COVID-19

COVID-19 pandemic

COVID-19 vaccine

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