Trump receives Philippines envoy’s credentials

MANILA, Philippines — Philippine Ambassador Jose Manuel “Babe” Romualdez has presented his credentials to US President Donald Trump at the White House as part of diplomatic protocol.

The Philippine embassy in Washington posted in its Twitter account a photo of Romualdez and Trump during their meeting last Nov. 29.

Romualdez served as special envoy to the US before accepting Malacañang’s nomination as ambassador to Washington.

He will also have jurisdiction over Jamaica, Haiti, Trinidad and Tobago, Antigua and Barbuda, Bahamas, Barbados, Dominica, The Federation of Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Vincent and Grenadines and Saint Lucia.

Earlier, Romualdez said the bond between the Philippines and the US is “unbreakable” despite previous diplomatic irritants.

As a treaty ally of the US, the Philippine military has had deep ties with its American counterparts and received defense equipment, weapons and training from US forces for decades. Any other militaries, including that of China, will have to struggle to reach the level of that treaty alliance, he said.

President Duterte repeatedly criticized the US government during the time of then-president Barack Obama for raising concerns over his bloody campaign against illegal drugs.

Duterte also vowed to realign the country’s foreign policy by befriending China and Russia while vowing to step back on military engagements with the US.

During his visit to the Philippines last month for the Association of Southeast Asian Nations Summit, Trump had nothing but praises for Duterte.

Before leaving the country last Nov. 14, the US leader told Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea, “Tell Rodrigo I like him very much. He’s a good guy. I had a great time here.”