Philippines-US relations on upswing — Cayetano

WASHINGTON – Relations between the Philippines and the United States are on the uptick and Americans are very comfortable doing business with the Philippines.

“The trajectory of our relationship is moving up,” Foreign Affairs Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano told a community meeting at the Philippine embassy here on Wednesday after a 40-minute meeting at the State Department with Secretary of State Rex Tillerson.

Ties between both countries plunged to new lows last year in the wake of the Obama administration’s continued criticism of extrajudicial killings amid President Duterte’s war against drugs.

At one point, Duterte insulted former US president Barack Obama and called him a “son of a w***e” and then US ambassador in Manila “a queer.”

Tillerson, announcing a shift in foreign policy in May, said the US will pursue its security and economic interests first before human rights concerns in pursuing ties with foreign countries.

Cayateno marveled at what he described as an enthusiastic reception he received here.

He said he had productive talks with Tillerson on a number of issues including US assistance for the Philippines’ anti-terrorism campaign and the East Asian Summit in Manila in November to be attended by American President Donald Trump.

Cayateno also expressed hope Trump would reinvite Duterte to a visit here.

Trump, during a phone call with Duterte in May, invited him to the White House but the Filipino leader has demurred in the face of threats by human rights groups to make him feel unwelcome.