Duterte blames Trump-imposed tariffs for PH inflation

President Donald Trump speaks with Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte during an ASEAN Summit dinner at the SMX Convention Center last November 12, 2017, in Manila, Philippines. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)

AMMAN, Jordan —President Rodrigo Duterte blamed the tariffs slapped by US President Donald Trump on certain global products for the rising prices of goods in the Philippines, in a rare jab at the American leader that he described as his close friend.

“Inflation is dahil ‘yan kay Trump [Inflation is because of Trump]. When Trump raised ‘yung  mga tarrif niya pati banned other items nagkaloko-loko,” Duterte said in a speech before the Filipino community here on Friday night. Mr. Duterte is currently in Jordan for an official visit.

“I am not aplologizing. There is really inflation in the Philippines and we are trying to control it,” he added.

The President said he refers to his economic managers to find ways to mitigate the effects of soaring inflation, which hit a high rate of 6.4 percent in over nine years this August.

READ: Palace on record-high inflation: No reason to panic

Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque earlier said that Filipinos have no reason to panic despite the record-high inflation as he assured the public that the government is “addressing it.”

The Philippine Statistics Authority on Wednesday announced that inflation rose to a nine-year high of 6.4 percent in August compared to 5.7 percent in August as the President is on a foreign trip here in Jordan.

Duterte called for a Cabinet meeting on Thursday night to tackle ways to mitigate inflation. /kga / jpv