Duterte to side with US if Filipinos are harmed in the Middle East

President Rodrigo Roa Duterte made it clear that if tensions in the Middle East escalates into a war, the Philippines will side witht the United States of America.

Duterte is very much concern with all the Filipinos in the Middle East, that he said if they will be “harmed” due to retaliation of Iran to the US, he will not think twice to side with the Americans.

“Hindi tayo magiging neutral. (We will not be neutral.) The President was very specific in saying last night that if the Filipinos are harmed, he will side with the Americans,” presidential spokesman and concurrent presidential legal adviser Salvador Panelo said in a Malacanang briefing.

US President Trump and PH President Duterte
(photo credit to owner)

“If they will harm the Filipinos, then the President will not sit down idly and watch,” he added.

Panelo explains that the President is wary that some Iranians might harm Filipinos working in Iran as the Philippines has been traditionally known to be a close ally of the US.

“We’re supposedly allied with the Americans, and ‘yung enemies (Iranians) might also attack not only the Americans but also the allies of the Americans,” Panelo explained.

No shift in Foreign Policy

Panelo clarifies that there is no shift in the Foreign policy being implemented by the Duterte administration.

“Hindi naman. Ang sinasabi lang ni Presidente huwag niyong idamay ang aking mga kababayan diyan.” (Not really. What the President is saying is that they should not involve our countrymen in the conflict there.)

The Philippines is bound by the Mutual Defense Treaty with the U.S., which states that both countries would assist each other when either of them is attacked by a foreign force.

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Report from PDI