Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte says he won't allow government forces to conduct joint patrols of disputed waters near the South China Sea with foreign powers, apparently scrapping a deal his predecessor reached with the US military earlier this year.
Duterte also said on Tuesday he was considering acquiring defence equipment from Russia and China.
The Philippines has traditionally leaned on the US, its longtime treaty ally, and other Western allies for its security needs.
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The remarks were the latest from the president who has had an uneasy relationship with the US and is trying to mend relations with China strained over South China Sea disputes.
Duterte said he wanted only Philippine territorial waters, up to 12 nautical miles offshore, to be patrolled by Filipino forces, but not other offshore areas that are contested.
He added he opposes Filipino forces accompanying foreign powers like the US and China in joint patrols which could entangle the Philippines in hostilities.
"We do not go into a patrol or join any other army from now because I do not want trouble,'' Duterte said. "I do not want to ride gung-ho style there with China or with America. I just want to patrol our territorial waters.''
Like other security pronouncements, Duterte did not provide details, but his rejection for joint patrols apparently goes against such an arrangement announced in April by the US and the Philippine defence chiefs.
While visiting Manila, US Defense Secretary Ash Carter disclosed for the first time in a news conference with then Philippine Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin that US ships had carried out sea patrols with the Philippines in the South China Sea, a somewhat rare move.
Carter insisted that the US did not intend to be provocative, but Gazmin said he expected that US forces, "with their presence here, will deter uncalled-for actions by the Chinese".
On Monday, Duterte said he wanted US military forces out of the southern Philippines and blamed America for inflaming local Muslim insurgencies.
China has been conducting military exercises in the South China Sea and building air and sea access facilities on disputed islands. The Philippines took China to the Permanent Court of Arbitration over the issue, with the court ruling against China's claims. Source: AP
Washington later said it had not received a formal request to remove US military personnel.
White House spokesman Josh Earnest said Duterte had a tendency to make "colourful comments" and drew a comparison with Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump.
