By Genalyn Kabiling
President Duterte is optimistic that Russian President Vladimir will do the “right thing” in dealing with the United States-led missile attacks on Syria amid hopes the situation will not further escalate.
The President voiced hopes for the return of peace in Syria during a meeting with the Russian Ambassador to the Philippines Igor Khovaev in Malacañang last Monday, according to Presidential Spokesman Harry Roque. The Russian envoy gave the President a personal letter from Putin.
“The President likewise expressed hope that the situation in Syria will not escalate any further and there will be return to peace as there are around 1,000 Filipinos in Syria,” Roque said during a press conference in Boracay island.
In the same meeting, Roque said both the Philippines and Russia reaffirmed their “mutual support” for each other.
The President and the Russian ambassador also discussed the drug war in the Philippines and the International Criminal Court, Roque added. Both the Philippines and Russia have pulled out membership from the Rome Statute that created the international criminal court.
Putin earlier warned that more Western strikes in Syria could bring chaos to world affairs during his conversation with Iranian President Hassan Rouhani.
