MANILA, Philippines (Updated 11:52 a.m.) — Malacañang congratulated US president-elect Joseph Biden shortly after the latter's victory in the US presidential elections was announced by state media Sunday morning, Philippine time.
"On behalf of the Filipino nation, Pres. Rodrigo Duterte wishes to extend his warm congratulations to former Vice President Joseph "Joe" Biden on his election as the new President of the United States of America," Palace spokesperson Harry Roque said in a statement sent to reporters.
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Earlier in March, Duterte in a televised press conference urged Filipino-Americans to support the reelection of incumbent, and now outgoing US President Donald Trump, whom the chief executive once described as a "good friend."
“To the Filipinos (in America)... if this comes out, vote for Trump. And they say that I am interfering? Of course, I am interfering,” he said then. “Tell that to the Americans that Duterte is insisting on interfering. You know why? Do you know why I’m interfering? Because they did it first. They (accuse us of) extrajudicial killing 70,000 (people)."
However, it took all of four days of ballot counting for the Democratic challenger to surpass the more than the 270 electoral votes needed to clinch the race early Sunday morning (Manila time), rendering Trump the first president denied a reelection by the American population in almost three decades.
Trump has said he would seek legal action on the outcome—a move experts say is a "desperation ploy"—and hurled wild and unproven accusations of electoral fraud on his social media channels.
"The Philippines and the United States have long-standing bilateral relations and we are committed to further enhancing the relations with the United States under the Biden administration," Roque said in his statement.
"We look forward to working closely with the new administration of President-elect Biden anchored on mutual respect, mutual benefit, and shared commitment to democracy, freedom and the rule of law," he added.
Trump and President Rodrigo Duterte have historically been very warm towards one another, with the Republican leader once vocally expressing support for Duterte's "drug war."
In a call dated April 29, 2017, Trump congratulated Duterte for an "unbelievable job on the drug problem," which left many in the White House "genuinely horrified."
The chief executive has long been vocal about his intent to distance himself from the US in his pursuit of an "independent" foreign policy.
In a tweet posted later Sunday, Vice President Leni Robredo also congratulated Biden along with his runningmate Sen. Kamala Harris.
"My warmest congratulations to President-elect Joe Biden and VP-elect Kamala Harris!" she wrote.
Harris, the senator from California, made history as the first woman and the first woman of color to be elected Vice President of the US.
In comparison, Robredo is the second woman to serve as vice president after Gloria Macapagal Arroyo and the first Vice President from Bicol.
"Your victory is an affirmation of the shared ideals on which the long friendship between our two nations stand: democracy, civil rights, faith, and inclusivity. I pray for your success!" Robredo also said. — Franco Luna with a report from Bella Perez-Rubio