Philippines suspends scrapping of troop agreement with U.S.: minister

FILE PHOTO: Philippines' Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. speaks during a press briefing with Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi after their meeting in Manila, Philippines, January 9, 2020. REUTERS/Willy Kurniawan/File Photo
By Reuters
Published: June 02, 2020 09:16 PM

MANILA, June 2: The Philippines has suspended its decision to scrap a two-decade-old Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) with the United States, its foreign minister said on Tuesday.

“The abrogation of the Visiting Forces Agreement has been suspended upon the President’s instruction,” Foreign Secretary Teodoro Locsin said on Twitter.

The official notice of the suspension, which Locsin posted, said the decision was taken “in light of political and other developments in the region”.