Medialdea summons US envoy over US agencies reports saying Duterte a ‘regional threat’

MANILA, Philippines, February 23 — Malacañang said Friday that Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea summoned United States Ambassador to the Philippines Sung Kim Thursday where they discussed the latest US Intelligence Community’s Worldwide Threat Assessment report.

The report classified President Rodrigo Duterte as a "regional threat."

Malacanang also said Executive Secretary Medialdea likewise instructed the Department of Foreign Affairs, through our Philippine embassy in Washington D.C., to coordinate and engage with the US agencies involved in the writing of the assessment.

“ES Medialdea further directed our embassy officials and staff in the US to provide the latter accurate information on the realities happening on the ground in the Philippines, including the actions taken by the President and his administration to promote socioeconomic development for the country and provide a safe and secure environment for all Filipinos, respecting at all times the rule of law,” Malacanang said in a statement.

Meanwhile, the US embassy said in a statement on Friday, "Ambassador Kim explained the nature of the report – an annual assessment on conditions in each of the world's various regions based on widely available information."

"Their discussion focused on the references to the Philippines in the report, including clarifying that the information about the Philippines had been previously reported by media sources," the embassy added.

The report, called a Worldwide Threat Assessment, said Duterte is a "regional threat" in Southeast Asia, as he suggests declaring a revolutionary government and imposing nationwide martial law.

The report was issued by the US Intelligence Community on February 13. The US Intelligence Community is a group of 17 agencies, including the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), that conduct intelligence activities to help in their country's foreign affairs and to protect their national security.

Kim met with Medialdea as the US seeks to repair its ties with the Philippines. Duterte has repeatedly slammed the US for supposedly interfering in his war on drugs.

Without elaborating, the US embassy said Kim and Medialdea "discussed shared interests and possibilities for expanding our partnership."

"The United States will continue to collaborate with the government of the Philippines. The meeting ended with both Executive Secretary Medialdea and Ambassador Kim reaffirming the strength of the broad and deep bilateral relationship," the embassy added. (RSP/With reports from agencies)