Trump conveys support for Duterte – Amb. Romualdez

United States President Donald J. Trump has once again conveyed his support for President Duterte during the presentation of credentials of incoming Philippine Ambassador to the US Jose Manuel “Babe” Romualdez at the White House on Wednesday, November 29.

Trump warmly welcomed Romualdez during the ceremony as they both engaged in a “cordial conversation” that lasted 10 minutes, a statement issued by the office of the new Philippine envoy said.

In their conversation, Romualdez noted that the US president again expressed his support for Duterte and the Philippines.

Romualdez first met Trump during the 31st Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit held in Manila last November 12 to14, and at the subsequent bilateral meeting between the US leader and President Duterte.

Earlier, Presidential Spokesman Harry Roque told the media that Trump repeatedly praised Duterte “for doing the right thing” and for “fighting the war on drugs in the right manner” during their private meetings at the sidelines of the ASEAN Summit.

Immediately after assuming his post at the Philippine Embassy in Washington, D.C., Romualdez, together with a delegation from the Philippines, started negotiating for a possible bilateral Free Trade Agreement (FTA) between the two countries.