(UPDATED as of 10:30 PM) President Rodrigo Duterte has suspended for six months the termination process of the PH-US Visiting Forces Agreement.
In a note verbale sent to the US Embassy in Manila, the Department of Foreign Affairs cited "political and other developments in the region" in seeking the suspension.
In a post on Twitter, Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. said: "I issued this diplomatic note to the US ambassador. It has been received by Washington and well at that. The Note is self-explanatory and does not require comment except from me. The abrogation of the Visiting Forces Agreement has been suspended upon the President’s instruction."
In a separate statement, the US Embassy in Manila welcomed the turnaround from Duterte's earlier decision to terminate the military accord.
"The United States welcomes the Philippine government’s decision. Our long-standing alliance has benefited both countries, and we look forward to continued close security and defense cooperation with the Philippines," the US Embassy in Manila said.