US envoy summoned after Prez Duterte named in threat report

Manila, February 23

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte’s spokesman says the government has summoned the US ambassador to discuss a global threat assessment by American intelligence agencies that mentioned Duterte along with the leaders of Cambodia and Thailand.

Spokesman Harry Roque Jr says Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea discussed the US intelligence community’s Worldwide Threat Assessment report with US Ambassador Sung Kim yesterday.

Roque said that Medialdea also asked Philippine diplomats to explain to Washington steps taken by Duterte to promote economic development and ensure security “respecting at all times the rule of law.” The US report says “autocratic tendencies” are expected to deepen in some governments in Southeast Asia and mentioned that Duterte has suggested that he could suspend the constitution and declare a “revolutionary government”.