President Rodrigo Duterte kept mum on the details of his “confidential” meeting with US Ambassador Sung Kim even as the US diplomat talked about defense priorities and economic partnership.
“I cannot discuss until I get his [Kim] permission. It's a diplomatic tête-à-tête. [There was] nothing earthshaking, but more of confidentiality,” Duterte told reporters in a press briefing at Camp Aguinaldo in Quezon City.
The president, who attended a briefing with the National Risk Reduction Management Council to discuss the impending Typhoon “Ompong,” said he does not want to share information yet as he “hates to break the rules.”
The Palace also echoed Duterte's statement, saying the meeting with Kim was classified as private.
Presidential Spokesman Harry Roque was also reticent to provide details. He even insisted he has yet to ask the President's permission to divulge the issues discussed during the meeting.
“No details were released. And as you know this is a diplomatic meeting, so it was classified as a private meeting… I’ll have to get clearance from the President himself on what he’s willing to release on the meeting,” said Roque in a Palace press briefing on Thursday.
“We’ve always had good relations with the United States. And I’m sure that every meeting between the President and the US Ambassador will result in closer relations,” Roque said.
On Wednesday, Kim took to Twitter to describe his dialogue with the president, which he said was “excellent meeting,” emphasizing that the two countries vowed to maintain its “strong and ironclad” relations.
“Excellent meeting with President Duterte to discuss shared goals, including defense priorities and economic partnership. Our alliance remains strong and ironclad,” the US Ambassador to the Philippines said.
The President’s meeting with the US’ top envoy came on the heels of talks about the country's procurement of fighter jets and attack helicopters from the US, the anticipated return of the historic Balangiga bells to the country, and the US President Donald Trump blaming the inflation on US-China trade war.
In a separate talks with provincial journalists, Kim said he shared the commitment of his country to “continue efforts for Mindanao” as he reemphasized the “robust relationship” between the two countries.
Kim stressed the importance of strengthening the Ph-US military relationship for nearly 70 years now. “We talked about military relations and the economic relations (of US and PH),” he added.
“What happened in Marawi was an important reminder of the importance of military partnership between our two countries,” the envoy said, as he cited the support that the US forces were able to provide that became “subsequently important to the Armed Forces of the Philippines’ ability to end the siege.
“It was a very small contingent and our help was done at the request of the Philippine Government. But whether it was in intelligence or information sharing, equipment plans or just technical advice by our experts, I think if you ask any [branch of service] of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, they will acknowledge that the US played a very important role in the siege,” Kim said.
With the expected landfall of Typhoon “Ompong” in the country, Kim said the US is also “ready to give assistance to assist the Philippines being an ally, a friend,”
citing the support the US provided to the country in past natural disasters, particularly after typhoon Yolanda.
“You have seen how the US was very quick to respond and help the Philippines. We have been in communication with our colleagues in Hawaii, in the Pacific Command and they’re poised and ready to provide assistance as may be necessary to the Philippines in the face of the natural challenge. The USAID will continually play a role with rehabilitation and reconstruction as the USAID will do anything possible,” he said.
The US also reiterated its extensive support to the Philippines in the battle against human trafficking, supporting the Philippine government’s efforts on protection, prevention, and prosecution of offenders.
The US Embasssy co-chairs a Technical Working Group to Combat the Onliine Sexual Exploitation of Children with the Australian government and the Philippine Department of Social Welfare and Development. Additionally, the US Embassy, through the International Justice Mission, provided approximately P26 million to support the project to build law enforcement and judicial system and the capacity to better combat human trafficking.
