Philippine envoy confident Duterte will back revamped US defence pact

Jose Manuel Romualdez.

MANILA (Reuters): A two-decades old defence pact between the Philippines and the United States has been revamped and its new terms submitted to President Rodrigo Duterte for his consideration, Manila's ambassador to Washington told Reuters.

The Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA), which provides rules for the rotation of thousands of US troops in and out of the Philippines for war games and exercises, will end in August if Duterte decides to terminate the deal.