RP-US ties remain ‘solid’ — envoy

From the Daily Tribune (Jan 17): RP-US ties remain ‘solid’ — envoy

US Ambassador to the Philippines Sung Kim assured President Duterte that the relationship between Washington and Manila remains to be “solid.”

Presidential spokesman Ernesto Abella said the America’s top diplomat reaffirmed their country’s commitment as traditional allies to the Philippines despite Duterte’s frequent brickbats against the US.

“Ambassador Kim reiterated the commitment of the US to the bilateral relationship with the RP which he described as ‘solid,’” Abella said, describing Duterte’s meeting with the ambassador in Davao City late Sunday evening.

“Furthermore, he also discussed US-RP military cooperation, particularly in the fight against terrorism, and the extent of US assistance to Mindanao,” he added.

Duterte frequently accuses the US of causing the scores-old rebellion of the Moro people in the Southern Philippines.

Abella further said that the US vowed to maintain its defense and security assistance to the Philippines.

“Citing cooperation in law enforcement, Ambassador Sung Kim stressed that the US will continue to provide support, including intelligence exchange and in maritime security,” he said.

On Saturday, Duterte surprisingly thanked the Americans for their assistance in monitoring terrorist activities through drone cameras that helped in the identification and arrest of the perpetrators of the deadly Davao City blast last September that killed 15 individuals and injured some 70 people.

Meanwhile, Duterte has declined US President-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration in Washington DC on January 20.

Presidential Communications Office Secretary Martin Andanar said that he and National Security Adviser Hermogenes Esperon will be Duterte’s proxies for the said event.

“Customarily, the head of mission or the ambassador is the representative of our country. Because this is totally a domestic event, Americans will be there to celebrate the inauguration,” Andanar said.

http://www.tribune.net.ph/nation/rp-us-ties-remain-solid-envoy