Rody, Trump to expand on ‘very warm rapport’

MANILA, Philippines — President Duterte and United States President Donald Trump will “expand on the warm rapport the two leaders have already built” when they meet in Manila later this month for the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit and Related Meetings, senior White House officials said on Monday.

White House officials, who declined to be named, said Trump is eagerly looking forward to seeing Duterte and congratulating him for the Philippines’ hosting of the ASEAN summit.

In a telephone briefing, the officials said a meeting between the two leaders would be a reaffirmation of the long-standing relationship between the Philippines and the US.

“The US is always forthright with our friends and allies about human rights issues and the importance of rule of law, but I think the thrust of their meeting is to expand on the very warm rapport that the two leaders have already built,” the official said when asked by The STAR if the US would raise concerns over human rights issues hounding the Duterte administration.

The two leaders “will talk about a range of issues in the relationship,” a White House official stressed.

“They had a phone conversation before. They have been in touch since and I know that the President is very much looking forward to seeing him,” a senior White House official pointed out.

The officials discussed Trump’s coming travel to Japan, South Korea, China, Vietnam and the Philippines, as well as his participation in the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Leaders’ Summit in Danang in Vietnam and in the US-ASEAN Summit in Manila.

Trump is skipping the East Asia Summit (EAS), also in Manila, on Nov. 14.

US Ambassador Sung Kim said the US President’s absence in the EAS is purely due to scheduling problems and is definitely not an indication of weakening commitment of the US in the Asia-Pacific region.

Duterte alleged the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) was part of a plot to oust him through destabilization and warned he is prepared to establish a “revolutionary government.”

“As for the conspiracy theory, that does not jibe with reality. There is no such plot,” an official said.

On Thursday, the ambassador denied that the CIA is backing a plot to destabilize Duterte.

Kim said Duterte won overwhelmingly in the 2016 elections and the “US respects his election and are in fact working very well together with this administration.”

In April, Trump invited Duterte to the White House to discuss the importance of the US-Philippines alliance, now heading in a “very positive direction.”

A readout of Trump’s call to Duterte showed the two leaders “in a very friendly conversation” discussing security concerns including threats posed by North Korea.

The White House readout noted that Trump and Duterte also discussed the country’s war on drugs.

“They also discussed the fact that the Philippine government is fighting very hard to rid its country of drugs, a scourge that affects many countries throughout the world,” it said.

“President Trump enjoyed the conversation and said that he is looking forward to visiting the Philippines in November to participate in the East Asia Summit and the US-ASEAN Summit,” the readout said. No details were given regarding a possible reciprocal visit to Washington by Duterte.

A few hours before the phone call, Duterte said ASEAN was extremely worried about tensions between the US and North Korea, pointing out that one misstep would be a “catastrophe” and that Asia would be victim of a nuclear war.

He urged the US to show restraint toward North Korea, saying the two nations are “playing with their dangerous toys.”