US focusing on long-term ties with Phl, not Rody rhetoric

WASHINGTON – The United States is focusing on its long-term relationship with the Philippines, not on President Duterte’s anti-American bombasts that are “inexplicably at odds” with the close relationship between the peoples and governments of both countries, State Department spokesman John Kirby said.

A pattern that has been evident in weeks is that even Duterte himself and some of his Cabinet officials have walked back some of his statements “so we’re not going to react and respond to every bit of rhetoric,” Kirby said.

“We’re going to take the long view, and the long view, in our mind, is a sustained, healthy, vibrant bilateral relationship with the people and the government of the Philippines. That’s what we’ve had for 70- some- odd years, and that’s what we expect to

have for 70-plus more years in the future. And so that’s where our focus is on,” he said.

In reply to a query, Kirby denied the US would in effect wait out Duterte by working around him until his six-year term expires.

“He’s the elected head of state and we’ve got a treaty alliance with his nation and we’re going to meet those requirements, and we’re going to work just as hard through his administration as we have in the past through previous ones,” he said.

In his latest broadside Duterte said if his scathing comments are worrying American investors and businessmen as Assistant Secretary of State Daniel Russel affirmed in Manila, then they can always pack up and leave.

“Despite the rhetoric, we haven’t seen any policy traction behind it, in other words, there hasn’t been any tangible changes to the policies and programs that both our nations are implementing and executing on a daily basis,” Kirby said.

In Zamboanga City, the Western Mindanao Command (Westmincom) said US troops remain in the region despite Duterte’s announcement of his wish to see the Americans leave Mindanao immediately.

“They (US troops) are in the quarters, if there is withdrawal – that will be announced immediately by higher headquarters. We are just host to them, the decision is up to policymakers in the higher headquarters,” Westmincom’s chief Lt. Gen. Mayoralgo de la Cruz said.

He revealed the American soldiers were staying at Camp Don Basilio Navarro.

De la Cruz said the withdrawal of a batch of US Marines last Oct. 4 was part of an agreed rotational deployment of American military personnel in the Philippines. Army soldiers replaced the Marines who pulled out.

“That is why when they left they also brought with them their equipment,” De la Cruz said.

The Westmincom official disclosed there are 107 to 110 US military personnel engaged in mostly civic projects with Westmincom.

“Actually, we’re tapping them for fund raising for humanitarian, assistance to wounded soldiers and most of the time they are just inside camp,” De la Cruz said.

“In the absence of decision from the higher headquarters, it’s business as usual,” he stressed.