Duterte, Widodo reaffirm resolve to fight threats to Southeast Asia

Indonesia’s President Joko Widodo (L) walks with Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte (2nd R) after they inspected a guard of honor during a welcoming ceremony at the Malacanang Palace in Manila on April 28, 2017, ahead of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) summit.
The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) summit in Manila, where leaders will discuss territorial disputes, terrorism and economic integration, takes place in the Philippine capital on April 28-29. (Photo by TED ALJIBE / AFP)

President Rodrigo Duterte and Indonesian President Joko Widodo reaffirmed their commitment to fight threats in Southeast Asia, which includes terrorism, piracy at sea and illegal drugs.

“We recognized the need to address both traditional and emerging threats and expressed readiness to step up cooperation against terrorism, violent extremism, piracy at sea and transnational crimes, including the trade of illicit drugs,” Duterte said in his joint statement with Widodo in Malacañang.

The two leaders had a bilateral meeting in Malacanang’s Aguinaldo State Dining Room after Widodo arrived for a state visit and to attend the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) Summit.

Widodo said he and Duterte agreed to start a joint working group this 2017 to fight terrorism.

“In combating transnational crimes, we also agreed to conduct a joint working group on counter-terrorism this year expanding the 2014 MOU on Counter-Terrorism Cooperation and strengthen intelligence information cooperation,” Widodo said.

Peaceful resolution of disputes

Duterte and Widodo also vowed to maintain a peaceful approach on our maritimes disputes, especially on the South China Sea.

“We reaffirmed the importance of peaceful resolution of disputes and the supremacy of law and the primacy of rules in the behavior of responsible states,” Duterte said.

Sea piracy was also hign on the agenda during the two leader’s bilateral meeting.

They agreed to launch the Indonesia-Malaysia-Philippines maritime maritime patrol “as soon as possible” to secure the safety of ships plying their waters.

No mention of Veloso case

During their bilateral meeting, the two leaders did not mention about the case of convicted Filipino drug trafficker Mary Jane Veloso.

“As regards the case of Mary Jane Veloso. it was not mentioned during the expanded bilateral meeting,” Secretart Ernest Abella, presidential spokesperson, said in a statement.

“It will be preemptive to say as well if it was discussed during their private meeting,” he added.

Veloso was arrested in A Yogyakarta airport in after after 2.6 kilograms of heroin was found in her luggage. /atm