By GENALYN D. KABILING
BEIJING, China – He may not be ready to totally call it quits yet with the United States but President Duterte is certainly exasperated with the major Western ally that seem to be more foe, less friend to the Philippines.
The President recently admitted that he could no longer “swallow” the arrogance and hypocrisy of the United States, as well as its tendency to put down its friends like the Philippines.
“I have my announced my departure really from the strict foreign policy that the United States would want us to follow,” the President said during a business forum while on a visit to Beijing last week.
“I cannot anymore swallow what the Americans are dishing out for all of us. They control our economy, they will tell us what country to defeat,” he said, shortly after shocking the world about his “separation” from America.
Duterte was also puzzled with Washington’s opposition to the Philippines’ move to join the China-led Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank. “I really don’t know what’s eating the guy there in America but these are the things I cannot swallow,” he added.
The President also lamented that the United States was “easy to criticize,” recalling the unfair criticisms hurled against him over the government’s war on illegal drug trade.
“If you’re a friend, the more that they would put you down,” said Duterte, who earlier resented the US has criticized him instead of helping him in the fight against illicit drugs.
Shortly after his historic meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing last Thursday, the President announced his “separation” from the United States in terms of military and economic policies.
The President instead has set his sights on two countries – China and Russia – and foster closer economic alliances with them. “I will be dependent on you for all time. But do not worry. We will also help as you help us,” he said during the Philippine-China Trade and Investment Forum in Beijing last Thursday.
