US: Philippines' Duterte Sparking Distress Around the World

[teach1st]

Source: ABC News

A top American diplomat for Asia said Monday that Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte's controversial remarks and a "real climate of uncertainty" about his government's intentions have sparked distress in the U.S. and other countries.

Daniel Russel, the assistant secretary of state for East Asian and Pacific affairs, said he also relayed to Philippine Foreign Secretary Perfecto Yasay Jr. international concern over continuing killings under Duterte's crackdown against illegal drugs. In addition, Secretary of State John Kerry spoke by phone Sunday with Yasay about "recent challenges" in bilateral relations, the State Department said.

Russel's visit to the Philippines, part of a three-nation trip to Southeast Asia, comes amid increasing uncertainty about Washington's treaty alliance with Manila. The brash Duterte, who took office on June 30, has displayed antagonism toward America, declaring his desire to scale back military engagements with the U.S. and telling President Barack Obama to "go to hell."

Duterte's administration, however, has not formalized his public declarations to remove U.S. counterterrorism forces from the volatile southern Philippines and stop large-scale joint exercises involving American forces, creating confusion among even his Cabinet officials.

Read more: http://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/us-philippines-duterte-sparking-distress-world-43007730

[jberryhill]

1. Interesting that Manafort worked for Marcos

[4bucksagallon]

2. Very unstable times here in Mindanao.. Lot's of uncertainty as to the direction

Dirty Duterte will actually go, China, Russia, or stay aligned with the US. He is very hostile to the US. Some say it is because he was denied a visa to go to the US when he was in college, some have listed other reasons but whatever his problem is he does hold a grudge forever. I have placed a call to the PRA (Philippines retirement authority) to express my concern for the way the country is leaning but have been assured there is no problem...... Okay, but I am still on hold and have a wait and see attitude about staying here in Mindanao. All future projects and improvements are now on hold and that means less work for my Filipino neighbors... Plus we are in the process of selling off some extra property that was purchased with an eye to the future.

[DCBob]

3. I wonder though if he really means to follow through on all this anti-America talk.

He always seems to back off his most extreme statements afterwards. I think it's simply his style to make big brash statements. He's not stupid and know he can't cut ties with the US. He seems to be trying to play China a bit to get them thinking the Philippines might turn away from the US toward China.

However his stupid comments are reverberating around the world and its not good the Philippines image or economy.

BTW, my wife and I own real estate in the Philippines as well.

[4bucksagallon]

4. He may back off but if he holds to this course. I will probably be looking for another country...

to live in or go back to the US. I've been here for going on 8 years now. Duterte will ruin the economy here. The peso is now at 48 to the dollar approximately, good for dollar earners but not for Filipinos. Rice is averaging about 40 per kilo, that's almost a buck a pound... What do you think Chinese investors/businesses will want to pay workers here? Already the infrastructure is maxed out and we have blackouts every day or every other day.. How can a business think of starting up here with no power generation, lousy crowded and unsafe roads and bridges with no speed limits, full of tricycles and overloaded motorbikes, buses, and trucks... Slow and limited internet. We have had one piece of property up for sale for 3 years with very few interested parties. This uncertainty will just add to the chaos and confusion. If I thought for one second that Duterte was serious about going after the real corruption in the government, I might give him a chance, but he is aligning himself with our enemies the Chinese, the NPA, the radical Muslims. No one can figure out what he is doing. Even the palace. After every one of his speeches they have to "clarify" what he said.... I will be interested to see what happens in Japan when he meets with their leader..

[Hekate]

5. This kind of news goes right over Americans' heads. Duterte is playing with fire in a TNT factory.

KnR

[Hekate]

6. Kick

[NobodyHere]

7. We should cut all aid immediately

We got a 500 billion dollar deficit. We shouldn't be giving money to countries who hate us.

[Alhena]

8. Why are we kissing this guy's ass?

The Phillipines needs the US a lot more than we need them. He keeps throwing crap in our face, and we give mild responses.

[Tiberius]

10. South China Sea

It would be very helpful, if we had all of the countries with a stake in the South China Sea dispute on our side. The South China dispute has the potential to be a flashpoint ... it's a very dangerous situation and could very well lead to war.

[rumdude]

9. This guy has some issues - nt