WASHINGTON — President
Barack Obama offered his congratulations Tuesday to the new presumptive
president of the Philippines who has attracted controversy over his iron-fisted
approach to law and order.
The White House said
Obama and Rodrigo Duterte spoke by phone in their first conversation since
Duterte declared victory in the May 9 vote.
Obama noted high voter
turnout in the election was a sign of the Philippines’ “vibrant democracy,” and
he highlighted the two nations’ “shared commitments to democracy, human rights,
rule of law and inclusive economic growth,” a statement said.
Duterte has been a
controversial character in Philippine politics. The longtime mayor of Davao
City campaigned on a promise to end crime and corruption. His public threat to
kill all criminals helped catapult him to the presidency but has alarmed human
rights activists.
Deputy National Security
Adviser Ben Rhodes acknowledged the controversy over some of Duerte’s past
statements but he said the U.S. wanted to build on the “good progress” made
between the allies under the outgoing administration of President Benigno
Aquino III.
“For us, the priorities
will remain the security and prosperity of the Philippines. We’ll want to see
continued efforts in the Philippines in respect of rule of law and to combat
corruption, just as we support those types of efforts across Asia and around
the world,” Rhodes told the Center for a New American Security think tank.
“We believe that now as
much as ever it’s important that the U.S. and the Philippines are seen as
working together and also working with a network of allies and partners in
Southeast Asia,” he said.
The historically
tumultuous relationship between the U.S. and its former colony has thrived in
recent years as the Philippines has turned to Washington for support against an
assertive China with which the Philippines has territorial disputes in the
South China Sea.
On Aquino’s watch, the
Philippines has agreed to opening up several of its military facilities in
American forces — a quarter-century after nationalist sentiments forced the
closure of U.S. bases in the island nation.
Vigilante
killings
Duterte has been criticized
for allowing a spree of vigilante killings under his administration in Davao
City, and critics fear he could let them happen on a larger scale as the
country’s leader.
He has denied ordering
any of the killings, but has not condemned them.
Washington has steered
clear of the controversy, however, which analysts say reflects the reality of
US national security interests given China’s increasingly assertive stance in
Asia and maritime disputes in the South China Sea.
Duterte’s vows to
restore law and order resonated with voters, but his incendiary rhetoric and
advocacy of extrajudicial killings to stamp out crime and drugs have alarmed
many people.
Dispute
with China
Rhodes noted US support
for Philippine efforts to resolve its territorial dispute with China in the
South China Sea through international arbitration, and a recent deal allowing a
greater US military presence in the country.
“We believe that now as
much as ever it’s important that the US and Philippines are seen working
together,” he said.
The US stance on Duterte
could echo its approach toward India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi. At one
point, Modi was unable to obtain a US visa because of concerns about sectarian
riots in the state of Gujarat when he was chief minister, but was later invited
to the White House when he became prime minister.
Changing
signals
The Philippines is one
of Washington’s closest allies in Southeast Asia, but Duterte has indicated he
may change tack.
He has said it is up to
American officials to fix relations with him, after the US ambassador to Manila
criticized his joke that he would have wanted to rape an Australian missionary
who was killed in a 1989 Philippine prison riot.
Duterte has also
indicated that he is prepared to hold direct talks with Beijing over a sensitive
territorial dispute in the South China Sea, ignoring Washington’s support for
Manila on the issue thus far.
In an interview with GMA
TV news, Duterte said he told Obama that the alliance between the
Philippines and the United States remained firm, especially on the issue of
the West Philippine Sea.
“We will continue with
our mutual interests,” Duterte said he told Obama.
But Duterte said he told
the US leader that he might choose bilateral talks with China on their
territorial dispute.
Duterte said Obama asked
him to wait for the ruling of the international arbitration court before
pursuing any other course to settle the dispute. With reports from the wires and Karlos Manlupig, Inquirer Mindanao
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