Aquino offers help to Turkey in confronting threat of ISIS

MANILA, Philippines (Xinhua) - President Benigno S. Aquino III said today that his government is ready to help Turkey as it confronts the threat of Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS).

In his bilateral meeting with visiting Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu in Malacanang, the presidential palace, Aquino said they discussed the threat of ISIS, as well as the danger presented by similar organizations in various parts of the world.

"We share the belief that it is the fundamental purpose of government to safeguard the welfare of its people, and we seek to fulfill this purpose by working hand-in-hand with our partners at home, within our regions, and in the larger community of nations," he said.

As Turkey has partnered with the Philippines in advancing a just and lasting peace in Mindanao, Aquino said during the state luncheon for the visiting Turkish leader, "allow me to say that it is my nation's hope that we will be able to help Turkey as it confronts the persisting and emerging challenges of our time, such as the threat of ISIS."

Davutoglu said the situation in Syria is already a " humanitarian tragedy," as he cited that around 2 million refugees from this troubled country are now in Turkey -- 1.5 million escaped from the regime attacked in the last three years, and the rest 500,000 recently in three or four months because of attacks of ISIS.