President Rodrigo Duterte has ordered concerned government agencies to send to the United States the formal notice terminating the Visiting Forces Agreement.

Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo said on Friday that Duterte told him that he would be instructing Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea to inform Foreign Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. to send the notice of termination to America.

“The instruction is ‘I will instruct the Executive Secretary to tell the DFA Secretary to send notice of termination to the US government’,” Panelo, quoting the President, said

Panelo said that during his conversation also with Duterte he asked him if he would talk with US President Donald Trump.

He said Duterte’s reply was, “Yes, we’re expected to talk.”

But Panelo said he did not know when the two leaders would talk and the possible agenda of their phone conversation.

During a Senate inquiry on the VFA on Thursday, Locsin said he has not yet sent a notice of termination of the VFA to Washington.

This was despite Duterte’s earlier order to start the process of terminating the treaty.

Locsin said he was waiting for the direct personal order of Duterte before he transmits the notice to abrogate the VFA with the US government.

Duterte has decided to end the VFA after the US government canceled the visa of Senator Ronald dela Rosa.

It was not clear why America canceled Dela Rosa’s visa. But the US earlier passed a law, which includes a provision barring Filipino government officials who were involved in human rights violations and continued detention of opposition Senator Leila de Lima.

Dela Rosa was Duterte’s top cop when he ordered an all-out war against illegal drugs. Celerina Monte/DMS