DA NANG, Vietnam”•It will be the first time President Rodrigo Duterte will be meeting with the firebrand American president, billionaire Donald Trump, but he has already warned against discussing how the Philippines deals with the alleged human rights violations that has haunted him since the start of his presidency.
Speaking to reporters in Manila before leaving to attend the 31st Association of Southeast Asian Nations Summit here, Duterte said he will be strictly speaking only about trade, terrorism and the growing influence of China in his talks with Trump.
“We are meeting there, we meet as sovereigns. But I will not go there as a subservient lackey of anyone. Including what you would like to hear from me, but which you cannot ask maybe or later on about human rights,” Duterte said.
Cutting off a reporter, Duterte said: “You want to ask a question? I’ll give you an answer. Lay off, that’s not your business”•that is my business. I take care of my country, and I will nurture my country to health.
“The Philippines is a sovereign state, I will not allow anybody to impose anything on my country. I will listen to you, but if it’s not for the best interest for my country, I will ignore you.”
Speaking to reporters here, Foreign Affairs Undersecretary for International Economic Relations Manuel AJ Teehankee said the first opportunity for the two leaders’ interaction will be on Nov. 10, when the 21 leaders of the Apec-member economies will receive the report of the Apec Business Advisory Council.
“From what we’ve gathered, both presidents are looking forward to personally meeting each other,” Teehankee said.
Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez likewise ruled out any planned bilateral meeting between the two leaders at the sidelines of Apec summit, but such could happen when Manila hosts the 31st Association of Southeast Asian Nations Summit starting Nov. 13.
Duterte, meanwhile, stressed that his would-be response to Trump on matters concerning Beijing would depend on the latter’s meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping, who is also here for the Apec Summit.
“I think they are meeting ahead, and we will wait for the results, and I will be in a position to give him at least a balanced answer. The Philippines is not beholden to anyone,” Duterte said.
Both Duterte and Trump expressed mutual admiration for each other during their exchanges in two phone conversations.
Teehankee said the relationship between the United States and the Philippines was not something that both leaders could disregard, despite the President declaring a break from the United States and into the arms of emerging superpower China.
“The Philippines and the United States are traditional and strong allies,” Teehankee said.
He said both leaders had something in common when it came to trade liberalization.
“They both look at globalization with caution”•there is positive to globalization but there’s also negative that must be addressed,” Teehankee said.
“So they both, I think, speak to the importance of inclusive growth. Inclusive growth simply means that there are benefits for all citizens, especially those who are not feeling the benefits.”
In an interview with CNN’s Christiane Amanpour, Palace spokesman Harry Roque said Duterte and Trump were “very much alike” and were not likely to collide on human rights issues stemming from the Filipino leader’s controversial war on drugs.
“I guess it’s going to be very interesting because you have two individuals who are very much alike in their thinking, language and demeanor,” Roque said.
He said Trump was unlikely to confront Duterte on human rights issues related to the war on drugs.
He said Duterte had no authoritarian tendencies and fully respected the law.
“The president is a lawyer and a public prosecutor. It was never his intention to conduct a war on drugs that would violate the Constitution and human rights,” Roque said.
