MANILA, Philippines — Despite his previous tirades against the United States, President Rodrigo Duterte on Monday called himself a “humble friend” of Washington during his meeting with US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson.
Tillerson, who is in the country for the Association of Southeast Asian Nations Regional Forum, paid a courtesy call on Duterte in Malacañang. The meeting started at around 5:20 p.m. and lasted for about an hour.
“I’m your humble friend in Southeast Asia,” Duterte told Tillerson during the start of their meeting at the Malacañang Anteroom.
While the Philippines and the US have had an uneasy relationship since he assumed office last year, Duterte said the two countries are “friends and allies.”
Duterte mentioned the South China Sea dispute and the tension in the Korean Peninsula during the meeting, which was also attended by his Cabinet members and officials of the US Embassy.
“I am happy to see you again and you have come at a time when the world is not so good, especially in the Korean Penninsula, and of course, the ever nagging problem of South China Sea,”
“I know you're worried there because you also have domestic problems,” he added.
The media were asked to leave the venue after Duterte’s opening statement.
WATCH: Duterte meets with US State Sec. Rex Tillerson @PhilippineStar @PhilstarNews pic.twitter.com/5O9Uk2Etub
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South China Sea, North Korea
China claims about 90 percent of the South China Sea while the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan have overlapping claims.
The tension in the Korean Peninsula stemmed from North Korea’s missile tests that have been condemned by foreign governments including the US and the Philippines.
Duterte was tight-lipped on the topics discussed during his meeting with Tillerson, saying the US may want to keep them confidential.
In a press conference hours before the courtesy call, Presidential Spokesman Ernesto Abella said among the topics that may be discussed were the situation in Marawi, the global threat of terrorism, the increasing Philippines-US economic and people-to-people engagements, and the Balangiga bells that were seized by US troops as war booty during the 20th century.
“We also welcome the opportunity to address concerns, such as human rights, if and when raised,” Abella said.
The US under President Barack Obama had criticized Duterte’s war on illegal drugs and has urged the Philippine leader to uphold human rights in all law enforcement efforts.
Duterte lashed back by saying that the US has no moral ascendancy to lecture on human rights because of its alleged atrocities during the wars in Iraq, the Vietnam War and the Philippine-American War.
When President Donald Trump won the 2016 US presidential race, Duterte expressed optimism that he would be able to get along well with the incoming American leader because of their similarities.