US backs Philippines fight vs IS; Trump visit on

MANILA, Philippines - The United States has voiced its support for the Philippines’ counterterrorism efforts and condemned the violence perpetrated by the Maute group in Marawi City.

“These cowardly terrorists killed Philippine law enforcement officials and endangered the lives of innocent citizens,” White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer said in a statement before the weekend.

“The US is a proud ally of the Philippines and we will continue to work with the Philippines to address shared threats to the peace and security of our countries,” he said.

Malacañang welcomed Spicer’s statement as well as Russia’s voicing a similar position on the ongoing campaign against the Maute in Marawi City.

In a related development, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) announced its programs in Mindanao would continue despite the region’s being placed under martial law.

“We have no indication that there is any change in programs… I at least do not know of any plans to change anything. That’s my knowledge. I can’t tell you much more than that. To the best of my knowledge nothing has changed,” US Deputy Chief of Mission Michael Klecheski told reporters on Thursday.

Klecheski said USAID is implementing several projects in Mindanao, including some on environmental protection and education.

“Aside from USAID we have a lot of other programs there… our public affairs department, for instance, has programs for education that are focused in Mindanao, heavily focused in Mindanao. We are doing a lot,” he said.

Klecheski said they are closely coordinating with local authorities to ensure the safety of the people.

“We focus on security wherever we go and we had great cooperation from all sorts of people in Mindanao,” he said.

USAID provides about $100 million in assistance to Mindanao annually, or at least 60 percent of its total grants to the Philippines.

Klecheski also stressed US President Donald Trump has not canceled his scheduled visit to the Philippines in November for the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) meetings despite security threats in Mindanao.

“He has announced that he is coming and we’re expecting him to come,” he said, adding that Trump has high regard for the ASEAN and the Philippines.

“Honestly, presidents do not announce that far in advance that they’re going to come so we’re actually very impressed and it shows honestly that ASEAN is important to our president, that the Philippines is important to our president and that makes us at the embassy very happy,” Klecheski said.

At Malacañang, presidential spokesman Ernesto Abella said they were elated by the US and Russia’s support for President Duterte’s intensified effort to crush the Maute and other terror groups.

“Also, the press secretary of the US has expressed solidarity with the Philippines and condemns the recent violence perpetrated by an ISIS-linked terrorist group in Marawi in Southern Philippines and he stated that the US will continue to provide support and assistance to Philippine counterterrorism groups,” Abella said.

“Also, the new Foreign Affairs Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano thanked Moscow for its commitment to strengthen cooperation with Manila, particularly in security and intelligence cooperation and in stepping up measures to combat terrorism, specially amid violence in Southern Philippines,” Abella said.

Duterte had to cut short his official visit to Moscow because of the outbreak of hostilities in Marawi City. But he was able to meet with President Vladimir Putin before flying back to Manila.

Abella quoted Cayetano as saying the “current developments in Mindanao where ISIS involvement is suspected, support our common desire to strengthen security and intelligence cooperation and make this a safer world for all of us, for all of our people.”

“So let met again express our gratitude for Russia’s offer to share expertise, experience in vast knowledge in the field of security and fighting terrorism,” Abella said.

Upon his arrival last Wednesday from Russia, Duterte recognized the help of the US in the technical aspect of the military’s campaign against the Maute group in Marawi City.

But he stressed he would be cautious in getting aid from the US, adding he would not tolerate any assistance with certain conditionalities inimical to the country’s interest.