New US envoy sees enduring ‘warmth’ in ties
His predecessor was subjected to presidential insults and a frosty sendoff by the administration, but America’s new top diplomat is in Manila and expects the “deep and extraordinary warmth” between the two countries to endure.
“Mabuhay, hello everyone. I am so excited to be here. Thank you very much for coming out this late in the evening. You know, from Washington to Manila is a very long flight,” US Ambassador Sung Kim said upon his arrival Thursday night at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 1.
Kim, a Korean- American, was welcomed by US Deputy Chief of Mission Michael Klechesky upon his arrival on Korean Airlines flight KE 623 at around 10:20 p.m. on Thursday.
“It’s really one of America’s most enduring partnerships and there are many important dimensions in that relationship,” Kim told reporters, describing ties between the allies. “For me the most meaningful, the most fundamental is the deep and extraordinary warmth in the peoples of the two countries.”
Kim, a career diplomat, assumes
President Duterte has signed an order granting presidential pardon to four communist rebels convicted of murder and kidnapping.
Martin Villanueva, Bonifacio Suyon, Dindo Absalon and Rico Bodina, all farmers, will be freed today or Monday, government peace panel chairman Silvestre Bello III said yesterday.
Bello said 200 more rebels are set to be pardoned soon.
“These rebels have long been recommended for pardon but the previous government did not sign the draft order to release them,” he said.
Bello, who heads the government panel holding peace talks with the National Democratic Front (NDF), said the convicted rebels have already served 18 to 26 years. “We are giving them the justice they deserve regardless of their guilt or innocence. They deserve to be freed,” he said.
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