Cayetano welcomes Pompeo as new Secretary of State, thanks Tillerson for service

Foreign Affairs Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano has welcomed the appointment of Central Intelligence Agency Director Mike Pompeo as Secretary of State.

US President Donald Trump has announced through his Twitter account that he has appointed Pompeo to replace Rex Tillerson as top US diplomat.

"Secretary of State Rex Tillerson is a good friend of the Philippines who played a crucial role in strengthening our relations with the United States during his term as Secretary of State," Cayetano said in a statement.

"We thank Secretary Tillerson for his friendship and the support he has extended to the Philippines and the Filipino people particularly during the period when our relations with the United States were facing challenges. We pray for the best for Secretary Tillerson in all his future endeavors," he added.

Cayetano congratulates Pompeo on his new post.

"We look forward to working with him and further strengthening the special relationship between the Philippines and the United States," he said.

"We are confident of more cooperation and collaboration with Washington with Secretary-designate Pompeo at the helm of the Department of State," he added. — BAP, GMA News