Duterte: I want my country to be treated with dignity

Published May 22, 2017, 4:38 PM

By Argyll Cyrus Geducos

President Duterte has reiterated that the Philippines can manage without the aid of its Western allies as he seeks increased ties with Russia and China.

President Rodrigo Duterte / PRESIDENTIAL PHOTO/ Manila Bulletin File Photo

This statement came days after Malacañang confirmed that the Philippines will no longer be accepting “grants with conditions” from the European Union (EU), or any (other) country.

In an interview over RT, Russia’s international English-language news channel, President Duterte renewed his tirades against the Philippines’ Western allies for supposedly still treating the country as a colony.

“We are an independent country, we will survive, we will endure, we can go hungry. But this time, I want my country (to be) treated with dignity,” President Duterte said days ahead of his official visit to Russia.

According to the President, he has nothing against America but said that his foreign policy has shifted.

“I have nothing against America, we are perfectly alright. President Trump is my friend. But my foreign policy has shifted from (being) pro-Western,” he said.

“I now have this working alliance with China, and I hope to establish good working relations with Russia,” he explained, adding that the Western world “has this double-talk.”

President Duterte has repeatedly expressed wanting to strengthen the Philippines’ ties with Russia.

http://news.mb.com.ph/2017/05/22/duterte-i-want-my-country-to-be-treated-with-dignity/