Philippines is not ‘little brown brother’ of US: foreign minister

Foreign Secretary Perfecto Yasay said Thursday the Philippines still regards the USA a trusted ally but will not accept lectures on human rights as a condition for receiving American help.

The Duterte administration does not condone unlawful killings in its anti-crime campaign as it is firmly committed to respecting and upholding human rights, Foreign Affairs Secretary Perfecto Yasay Jr. told a recent forum organized by a U.S. think tank.

“We do not and will never condone any unlawful killings, and Philippine authorities have been instructed to immediately look into these incidents and bring the perpetrators to justice”, Yasay said.

Yasay also told Washington’s think tank that President Duterte had explained that his call for the withdrawal of U.S. special forces from Mindanao was only a temporary measure to keep them out of harm’s way while Philippine forces undertook an offensive against Abu Sayyaf militants.

Yasay sought to reassure an audience at a Washington think tank about Manila’s commitment to positive relations with the United States, its former colonial power. Bilateral relations have been strained by recent remarks by President Rodrigo Duterte.

In his address, Yasay said full respect for human rights and upholding the value and dignity of every person are government’s commitment enshrined in the Philippine Constitution. “You do not go to the Philippines and say, “I’m going to give you something, I’m going to help you develop and I’m going to help you grow but these are the checklist (s) that you must comply with”.

China claims the entirety of the South China Sea, which includes the exclusive economic zones of the Philippines, Vietnam, Brunei, Malaysia, Taiwan, and waters off the coast of Indonesia’s Natuna island. “We can not forever be the little brown brothers of America.we have to develop, we have to grow and become the big brother of our own people”.

Duterte last week caused a stir at the Asean Summit in Laos when he lashed out at Obama ahead of the two leaders’ maiden meeting, calling the latter a “son of a bitch”. The tribunal found in Manila’s favor and invalidated the legal basis of China’s expansive claims.

Washington and Manila agreed earlier this year on joint patrols in the South China Sea and a Pentagon spokesperson said three had been conducted from March until July.

“As President Obama said, he (President Duterte) is a colorful man”, Hamre said, stressing that President Duterte had already explained he was referring to journalists who asked the question. He blamed a “mischaracterization by the press” for blowing the incident out of proportion.

“Our alliance based on mutual trust and respect will continue to contribute to the peaceful and stable regions that both of our countries have committed to our people”, he said.