Palace summons US envoy over intelligence report

MANILA, Philippines — Following Malacañang’s serious concern over the US Intelligence Community Worldwide Threat Assessment report which tagged President Duterte as a “threat to democracy,” Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea met with US Ambassador Sung Kim last Thursday to set the record straight.

According to presidential spokesman Harry Roque, the Palace summoned Kim to discuss the report. But Roque did not provide details about the meeting.

As a result, Roque said Malacañang directed the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) to spearhead moves in Washington to negate the impact of the report, which put Duterte among regional leaders who undermine democratic values and human rights, along with Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen and ruling Thailand officials.

“Executive Secretary Medialdea likewise instructed the DFA, through our Philippine embassy in Washington, to coordinate and engage with US agencies involved in the writing of the assessment,” Roque said in a statement. 

Roque added that Medialdea further directed Philippine embassy officials and staff in the US “to provide the latter accurate information on the realities happening on the ground in the Philippines.”

These include the “actions taken by the President and his administration to promote socioeconomic development for the country and provide a safe and secure environment for all Filipinos, respecting at all times the rule of law.”

Duterte, whose brutal drug campaign has stirred human rights groups internationally, was cited for his “autocratic tendencies” when he threatened to promulgate a nationwide martial law and declare a revolutionary form of government, among others.

Kim during the meeting assured Medialdea that his country “will continue to collaborate with the government of the Philippines.”

A statement issued by the US embassy yesterday said Kim explained the nature of the report, which is an annual assessment on conditions in each of the world’s various regions “based on widely available information.”

The embassy noted that the meeting ended with both Medialdea and Kim reaffirming the strength of the broad and deep bilateral relationship of the Philippines and the US.

Philippines Ambassador to the US Jose Manuel “Babe” Romualdez, who is currently in Manila, described the meeting between the two officials as “cordial.”

“Ambassador Kim clarified that this is a yearly intelligence information given out, which is based mostly on news reports. Executive Secretary Medialdea made one point though – that President Duterte never said he will suspend the Constitution,” Romualdez said in a text message to The STAR.

He said he has offered to clarify the matter when he returns to Washington next week. – Helen Flores