Rody won’t lift finger to help TNTs in US

MANILA, Philippines - President Duterte won’t lift a finger to help undocumented Filipino immigrants in the US as the Trump administration intensifies its crackdown on illegal aliens.

“To the Filipinos there, you better be on the right track. If you are not allowed to stay there where you are staying, get out. Because if you are caught and deported, I will not lift a finger,” the President said in a press conference yesterday at Malacañang.

“You know that it is a violation of the law,” he added.

US President Donald Trump has vowed to strengthen the campaign against violators of immigration laws, which he believes are taking away jobs from Americans and legal immigrants.

He has also signed an executive order barring citizens of seven predominantly Muslim countries from entering the US for the next 90 days and suspending the admission of refugees for 120 days.

The order, which seeks to keep radical Islamic terrorists out of the US, covered citizens from Iraq, Syria, Iran, Sudan, Libya, Somalia and Yemen.

Civil liberty groups and political opposition have criticized the order, saying it constitutes discrimination and bigotry.

Trump maintained though that the order would shield the US from terrorist attacks.

Duterte kept mum on Trump’s controversial order, saying he would not interfere with the affairs of other countries.

“Now, if he (Trump) has policies to protect his country, I will understand. He told me ‘we will not interfere in your drug war, you are doing it right. As a matter of fact my country is also facing that serious problem,’” Duterte said.

“So out of respect, for the statement, I can only answer him in the manner that he has told me. I won’t interfere,” he added.

Duterte has expressed optimism that he would get along with Trump, who he said was supportive of his crackdown on narcotics.

He has badmouthed Trump’s predecessor Barack Obama after the former president had raised concerns over the spate of killings linked to his anti-drug war.