GMA, Hillary seen to boost Philippine ties to US

MANILA, Philippines – Two women leaders might be the key to President Duterte’s cozying up again with the US.

Analysts said yesterday Duterte’s ally, former president and now Deputy Speaker Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, could play a significant role in boosting Philippine-US relations, in case former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton wins the US presidential elections.

Professor Richard Javad Heydarian, international affairs analyst and author, said the Duterte government might greatly benefit from Arroyo’s experience in diplomacy, especially with her close ties with the Clintons, particularly her being friend and former classmate to former US president Bill Clinton, husband of the now leading US presidential candidate.

At the same time, Heydarian described Hillary Clinton as the architect of the US policy towards the South China Sea, surrounded as she is by veteran Asian advisers and potential Cabinet appointees.

“It was good that they’ve met (Arroyo and Clinton),” he said. “Hillary brings with her a huge Asia team, and they’re nuanced and understand complexity with dealing with a prickly ally like Duterte.”

Local political analyst Mon Casiple agreed with the De La Salle University professor’s analysis.

Casiple yesterday said Pampanga Rep. Arroyo might “play a bigger role” in improving the Philippines’ relations with the US in case Hillary wins. 

“Arroyo’s relations with the Clintons could help and it is good kasi ang susi naman sa mga relasyon ay iyung may confidence (because the key to any good relation is actually trust and confidence),” Casiple said, citing Arroyo’s personal and professional relationship with Bill Clinton. 

The former presidents were classmates in Georgetown University, a private research university in Washington. 

In a statement, the Arroyo camp quoted Casiple as saying Arroyo basically has the trust and confidence of the Clintons because aside from their professional relationship in the past, they have a personal relationship, which is “important in any diplomatic relations.”

 “It could be like a communication bridge. That’s the beauty of it,” Casiple said. “The message will be clear on both sides. Palaging trust iyan. Kung si Hillary, of course, may trust na kay GMA iyan dahil kaklase niya ang asawa niya at of course personal sila na magkaibigan (There would always be trust. If it’s going to be Hillary, of course, she already trusts GMA, since she’s the classmate of her husband and of course, they’re friends).”   

Bill Clinton sent Arroyo a letter in January 2013, when she was still under hospital arrest. 

“I’m sorry to hear that you have been going through such a difficult time,” he wrote. “I hope you’ve been able to take care of your health and aren’t in too much discomfort, and that the due process of law will prevail. Hang in there – I’ll be keeping you in my thoughts.”