(Eagle News) — The Department of Foreign Affairs welcomed on Friday the talk about human rights between President Rodrigo Duterte and United States Secretary of State Rex Tillerson on the sidelines of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations-hosted meetings, noting that it was an “opportunity to address (the US’) concerns and correct the perceptions they may have gleaned from exaggerated media reports.”
In a statement, the DFA noted that discussions on human rights issues were expected during the country’s engagement with foreign governments, specifically with Western nations, given the fact that the Philippines was the oldest democracy in Asia.
“We understand that it is part of their duty as government officials to talk about human rights, not only with the Philippines but with the rest of the world, because they are accountable to their Congress and their press as they advance their values and interests,” the DFA added.
Aside from human rights issues, Tillerson will discuss relevant matters of shared interest including the Marawi conflict, terrorism and increasing Philippine-US economic and people-to-people engagement at the sidelines of the ASEAN-related meetings with President Rodrigo Duterte.
“These discussions are all aimed at strengthening the old friendship between the two countries,” the DFA said.
“I expect the call to be frank, honest but to discuss also the way forward in our relationship and also to repair some twists and turns or some valleys in our relationship,” Foreign Affairs Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano added.(Agence France Presse)
