U.S. President Barack Obama has described the Philippines as America’s oldest ally in Asia, a relationship bound by friendship and mutual respect.
This may not hold true for his Philippine counterpart because even before leaving for his first official foreign travel, President Rodrigo Duterte has managed to cause an international stir with a “son of a b*itch” comment that many media said was direct toward Obama.
Duterte warned the American president not to question his ways over extrajudicial killings and human rights violations in the Philippines, which have been gaining scrutiny over the past months.
“I do not respond to anybody but to the people of the Republic of the Philippines,” the Philippine president said.
The two presidents were set to have a rendezvous at the sidelines of the ongoing Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in Laos. However, the bilateral meeting was called off by the U.S., saying that this may not be the right time for the leaders to have a dialogue.
“Clearly, he’s a colorful guy,” Obama said. “What I’ve instructed my team to do is talk to their Philippine counterparts to find out is this in fact a time where we can have some constructive, productive conversations.”
The Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) instantly went to damage control. It said that Duterte “continues to value the Philippines’ ties with the United States despite his profanity-laced remarks against” the U.S. president.
In a statement, the DFA said the Philippines and the U.S. “share common goals in their pursuit of the war against drugs, terrorists, crime and poverty. President Duterte explained that the press reports that President Obama would ‘lecture’ him on extrajudicial killings led to his strong comments, which in turn elicited concern. He regrets that his remarks to the press have caused much controversy.”
It added that “while asserting the intent to chart an independent foreign policy and promote closer ties with all nations, he expressed his deep regard and affinity for President Obama and for the enduring partnership between our nations.”
Before deciding to throw expletives to Obama, perhaps Duterte needs constant reminders that being the President means embarking on business meetings with other foreign leaders to address global challenges and ensure stability for their people.
He may also need to be reminded that for decades, the United States has maintained strong bilateral relations with the Philippines, based on a number of factors including robust domestic support for international security, joint strategic goals in the Asia Pacific, a mutual commitment to democratic values, and historical ties.
There are currently 300,000 American citizens living in the Philippines and millions of Filipinos in the U.S. This is one of the most enduring aspects of the US-PH partnership, the binding and personal ties between people. These bring political, economic, and strategic benefits to both Filipinos and Americans.
This relationship is bound by democratic values and moral responsibility to ensure peace and security not just for their own people, but for every citizen of the world. This bond will only further flourish if both countries continue to commit on the same goals. (AJPress)
