MANILA, Philippines鈥擯resident Rodrigo Duterte will not send Philippine troops to the Middle East amid the escalating tension between the United States and Iran.
鈥淥ut of the question. Out of the question. Unless the national interest would demand it and it will be decided not by me, but me and Congress,鈥� Duterte said Tuesday when asked about the possibility of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) joining the conflict in the Gulf region.
The President earlier ordered the military to prepare its air and naval assets for the possible repatriation of OFWs in the Middle East after the US launched an airstrike that killed Iran鈥檚 top general, Qasem Soleimani, in Iraq.
In a press briefing Tuesday, Duterte鈥檚 spokesman Salvador Panelo said the President would side with the Americans if Filipinos are harmed in Iran.
But Duterte said it is just a 鈥減rojection鈥� if the situation in the Middle East 鈥� home of millions of Filipino workers 鈥� worsens.
The President also said that the Philippines will honor its defense treaty with the US but won鈥檛 allow聽American troops to use the country as their launching pad.
鈥淏ut to use the Philippines as a launching pad to fly the missiles and the rockets, I do not think that鈥� I have to stop,鈥� he said.