South China Sea: why did Duterte bar Philippine military from US exercises?

President Rodrigo Duterte has ordered the Philippine navy not to join US-led military exercises in the South China Sea.“The president has a standing order … that we should not involve ourselves in naval exercises in the South China Sea, except in our national waters, [within] 12 miles of our shores,” defence secretary Delfin Lorenzana said on Monday.South China Sea: beware of US ‘sabotage’, Beijing warns Southeast AsiaLorenzana said the ban was aimed at keeping a lid on tensions in the area,…