Duterte-Obama talks reset

VIENTIANE, Laos – The Philippine bilateral talks with the United States scheduled on the margins of the 28th and 29th Association of Southeast Asian Nations Summits (ASEAN) and Related Summits now being held here has been moved to a later date as President Duterte expressed regret that his

comments made about US President Barack Obama have caused much controversy.

In a statement read Tuesday by Presidential spokesman Ernesto Abella, on behalf of President Duterte, the meeting between the US and the Philippines has been mutually agreed upon to be moved to a later date.

“While the immediate cause was my strong comments to certain press questions that elicited concerns and distress, we also regret it came across as a personal attack on the US President,” Duterte said in the statement read by Abella.

The President explained that his primary intention is to “chart an independent foreign policy while promoting closer ties with all nations, especially the US with which we have had a long standing partnership.”

“We look forward to ironing out differences arising out of national priorities and perceptions, and working in mutually responsible ways for both countries,” Duterte said in the statement.

Obama’s aides also issued a separate statement before dawn yesterday.

“President Obama will not be holding a bilateral meeting with President Duterte of the Philippines this afternoon,” National Security Council spokesman Ned Price said in Washington.

Not an attack on Obama In a statement, Malacañang clarified that the Duterte’s remarks was not an attack on Obama, adding that the President continues to value the relationship between the Philippines and the US, noting that both countries share common goals in their pursuit of the war on drugs, terrorism, crime, and poverty.

Duterte also thanked Obama for the US’s firm support for the Philippines during the G20 where the American leader emphasized the importance for China to abide by its obligations under international law and underscored the US’s unwavering commitment to the security of its allies.

“Both delegations however agreed that in the light of the two issues that still need to be worked on, the bilateral meeting between the two nations will be postponed to a later date,” said Andanar.

According to the Palace, President Duterte merely replied to a question from an international wire agency asking how he would respond to a question of Obama on extrajudicial killings.

Duterte replied, “You know, the Philippines is not a vassal state. We have long ceased to be a colony of the United States. Alam mo, marami diyan, sa mga kolumnista, they look upon Obama and the United States as if we are the lap dogs of their country. I do not respond to anybody but to the people of the Republic of the Philippines.”

He added, “I am not beholden to anybody. Iyong mga kolumnista diyan na ‘wait until he meets,’ who is he? I am a President of the sovereign state, and we have long ceased to be a colony. I do not have any master, except the Filipino people. Nobody but nobody.”

According to the Palace statement, “all the President tried to relay was he is not answerable to another country for doing his job as President of the Philippines.”

“His accountability is not on anybody except to the Filipinos. And even President Obama is not allowed to meddle into the affairs of the Philippines, and how he does his job to rid the country of the illegal drug crisis, to address terrorism and to cleanse the government of corruption,” it further stated.

Presidential Communications Office Secretary Martin Andanar said President Duterte explained that the press reports that President Obama would “lecture” him on extrajudicial killings led to his strong comments which in turn elicited concern.

Deep regard for Obama According to Duterte, his primary concern “is to chart independent foreign policy and promote closer ties with all nations.” He also expressed his deep regard and affinity for President Obama and for the enduring partnership between our two nations.

Furthermore, Andanar said Duterte stressed that “in securing and preserving the rights and liberties of our people, it is imperative that the fight against illegal drugs, terrorists, crimes and poverty must be won in order to preserve the principle and values upon which our democratic way of life is anchored.”

The cancellation of the bilateral meeting came after President Duterte warned President Obama to keep off the subject of extrajudicial killings in the country amid his administration’s war on drugs in their scheduled bilateral meeting.

“You must be respectful,” President Duterte was quoted as saying in a media briefing before his departure for Laos Monday.

When this latest Duterte tirade reached Obama at the G20 summit in the Chinese city of Hangzhou, the American leader initially said he has instructed his team to talk to their Philippine counterparts to find out if is this is in fact a time where they can have “constructive productive conversations.”

“I just came out of a long day of meetings. I just heard about some of these. But I have seen some of those colorful statements in the past,” Obama said, referring to Duterte. “And so clearly he’s a colorful guy.”

‘Filipinos our closest allies’

“Obviously, the Filipino people are some of our closest friends and allies,” Obama added. “And the Philippines is a treaty ally of ours. But I always wanna make sure, that if I’m having a meeting, that is actually productive and we’re getting something done.”

President Obama said he recognizes the “significant burden that the drug trade plays not just in the Philippines but around the world and fighting narcotrafficking is tough.”

“But we will always assert the need to have due process and to engage in that fight against drugs in a way that’s consistent with basic international norms,” he said. “And so undoubtedly, if and when we have a meeting, this is something that’s gonna be brought up. And my expectation, my hope is it could be dealt with constructively.”

Senators optimistic

Despite this development, lawmakers remain positive there would be no drastic change in the long-standing friendly relations between the Philippines and the United States.

Senate President Pro-Tempore Franklin Drilon said that while the cancellation of the meeting between US President Barack Obama and Duterte was unfortunate he is confident that the US-Philippine bilateral ties would remain steady.

We should maintain our relations with the US as a strong treaty ally that have been built over decades,” Drilon said.

America, after all is a long-time ally of the Philippines, Drilon pointed out.

Drilon said there is no doubt that the relations between the Philippines and the United States remain strong, and continue to be anchored on mutual respect and cooperation.

Sen. Panfilo “Ping” Lacson, said he hopes President Duterte would soon realize that diplomacy plays a vital role in the country’s foreign policy.

“Any statement spoken by a country’s leader is always construed as a policy statement. Having said that, I don’t see any drastic change in the long-standing friendly relations between the Philippines and the United States. We are one of the United States’ strongest allies in the AsiaPacific region, and it will stay that way,” Lacson said.

“Presidents come after elections and go after their terms end, while alliances between countries remain strong, especially between the United States and the Philippines. I hope our president will soon realize that diplomacy is always part and parcel of a country’s foreign policy and being the country’s leader, he shapes that policy,” the senator said.

Sen. Joseph Victor “JV” Ejercito, however, said he can understand “where our President is coming from,” saying his pre-departure statement made it clear he would pursue an independent foreign policy – “one not beholden to any foreign power.”

“But it’s good that President Duterte has admitted his mistake in using very strong language,” Ejercito said.

Ejercito said, however, he won’t be surprised at all if the US moves for a downgrade of its relations with the Philippines, particularly with respect to current levels of development and military assistance.

Nevertheless, he said he believes the special relations between the Philippines and US which dates back to the postwar era “will sustain the friendship as well as partnership in the economic and military spheres in the years ahead, as long as both sides strive to emphasize common ground.”

Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian, for his part, said he finds Duterte’s tenacity to assert the country’s sovereignty admirable.

“Unfortunately, the cancelled meeting with President Obama is a missed opportunity to strengthen ties with an important ally. However, I support his aggressive assertion of Philippine independence and supremacy in our internal affairs,” Gatchalian said.

“In a way, it is promising to see that our President is strong enough to rattle even the most powerful leader in the world. PRDD’s tenacity in fighting for our country’s rights is admirable,” the senator added.

Sen. Juan Edgardo “Sonny” Angara for his part said: “Definitely the relationship seems to have gotten off on the wrong foot with both sides overly critical of the other. Nonetheless, I am confident the wrinkles will be ironed out sooner rather than later, perhaps with some skillful diplomacy.”

Sen. Leila de Lima said she is concerned on the possible repercussions of the President’s offensive and intemperate language to the Filipinos currently living and working in America.

De Lima, a staunch critic of the President, told reporters in an interview, she has received information via text messages that some Filipinos have felt the brunt of the President’s tirades against Obama.

Congressmen back Duterte

Administration and opposition congressmen are backing President Rodrigo Duterte in his apparent tiff with American President Barack Obama who, after sustaining a verbal attack from his Philippine counterpart, cancelled their scheduled bilateral meeting in Laos yesterday.

Deputy Speaker and Cebu Rep. Gwendolyn Garcia, together with Reps. Rodel Batocabe (Ako Bicol); Eugene De Vera (ABS Partylist); Arlene Arcillas (NP, Laguna); Sherwin Tugna (CIBAC Partylist) and Carlos Isagani Zarate (Bayan Muna) said Duterte was correct in warning Obama that US must keep off the internal affairs of the Philippines which it considers an ally.

On the other hand, Assistant Minority Leader and Kabayan Party-list Rep. Harry Roque said he admired “Duterte’s espousal for an independent foreign policy.”

While describing the incident as “unfortunate,” Garcia said the American government must “reconfigure its perception of the relation that exists with the Philippines.”

“A partnership deserves mutual respect and not condescencion,” she said. (With reports from Genalyn D. Kabiling, Elena L. Aben, Yas D. Ocampo, Antonio L. Colina IV, Hannah L. Torregoza, and Ben R. Rosario)