Panelo recounts Pompeo telling Duterte: ‘You’re just like our president’

President Rodrigo Roa Duterte and United States Secretary of State Michael Pompeo exchange pleasantries during their meeting at the Villamor Air Base in Pasay City on February 28, 2019. SIMEON CELI JR./PRESIDENTIAL PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines—United States (US) Secretary of State Michael Pompeo has likened President Rodrigo Duterte to US President Donald Trump.

Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo recounted that during Pompeo’s courtesy call to the President on Thursday, the top US diplomat told Duterte: “You’re just like our president.”

“I remember when the President was talking about what he is doing for this country, pati ‘yung mga controversial na galaw niya, pati ‘yung cursing niya, the Secretary of State said, ‘you’re just like our president!’ Eh, ‘di tawanan kami,” Panelo said Friday in a Palace briefing.

This was not the first time similarities have been made between Duterte and Trump.

The two leaders, both known for their tough-talking persona, won their respective presidency with campaigns with populist fury against political elites and a spill of controversial remarks.

Duterte has been widely known through his brutal war on drugs that claimed the lives of more than 5,000 drug suspects since 2016.

READ: Gov’t: 72 killed in January 2019 drug ops; total hits 5,176

Former US President Barack Obama was one of Duterte’s drug war critics, causing the Philippine leader to threaten to cut ties with the country’s longtime ally.

The two nation’s relationship recuperated under the presidency of Trump, whom Duterte referred to as his “friend.”

However, the possibility of Duterte visiting the US remains uncertain.

“The problem with the President is he cannot (bear) the temperature in the US eh. Napakalamig. Nahihirapan siya tsaka napakalayo. ‘Yung mga long-haul ayaw niya eh,” Panelo said. /jpv