Former security adviser finds Pres. Duterte’s first 100 days ‘exceptional’

From the Philippine News Agency (Oct 6): Former security adviser finds Pres. Duterte’s first 100 days ‘exceptional’

Former national security adviser Jose Almonte on Thursday described the first 100 days of President Rodrigo Duterte as exceptional, particularly in addressing insurgency, broken politics and monopolized business.

”Exceptional,” Almonte said when asked during a Malacañang press briefing to describe President Duterte’s first 100 days in office.

Almonte served as director general of the National Security Council (NSC) under former president Fidel V. Ramos, who is now President Duterte’s special envoy to China on the maritime dispute at the West Philippine Sea.

He said the Philippines has had an internal war since 1946 and he commended President Duterte’s move to declare an indefinite ceasefire to give way to the peace process with the Communist Party of the Philippines.

Almonte also noticed President Duterte's unconventional approach when he appointed known leftists to his Cabinet.

”This is the longest communist insurgency in the world. And we are at the same time, having a problem of separatist movement in the South. So that’s number one. Number two is our broken politics,” Almonte said.

Almonte said President Duterte’s call for Congress to start immediately the discussion on the possible shift of government from the presidential system to federalism would fix the "broken politics" in the country.

”The problem is this -- only a small group, special group, in general, formulates the policies, national policies of this government and it is implemented for the interest. And this happens, as you know, every after election. As we know, the center of political power, where we are in this country, is under the hands of this small group that funded the election,” he said.

Almonte also praised President Duterte for trying to break the “unholy alliance” between politics and business.

”If we cannot solve these three basic problems, we can never build a Filipino nation the way we want it to be. So these three must be solved and President Duterte is confronting it. That’s the best for the nation,” he said.

Almonte also said if President Duterte could solve these three basic problems, other concerns like corruption, inequality and poverty will also be addressed in the future.

”It just so happened that what he’s doing is what I thought before. And that is why I am here to talk to you. I was asked. And the reason is I believe that he is doing the right thing on this,” he said.

However, Almonte expressed apprehension that addressing his three basic concerns would be derailed if the nation's attention continues to focus on the extrajudicial killings and President Duterte’s colorful language.

”My fear (is that) the three fundamental things that President Duterte would like to address may be jeopardized because of these things that I have mentioned earlier,” he said.

With regard to the foreign policy that President Duterte wants to pursue, Almonte suggested that it should be a policy that would make the Philippines friend of all nations, including its old ally the United States.

”The best foreign policy is, let’s maintain our friendship with our old allies. But at the same time, let us work very hard to become friends of others, even if they are enemies of our allies,” he said.

In his previous statements, President Duterte said he "might" break up with the US and that he would rather go with Russia and China.

”We maintain our relationship with America. But at the same time, let us befriend all the others, including China,” he said.

Almonte advised President Duterte to make his colorful language "colorless".

”I hope that he will change when the time comes. By the way, I hope the President does not take it against me. I have not met him. So I do not know him personally,” Almonte said.

http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=1&sid=&nid=1&rid=929209