Duterte: Ignore my tirade against Goldberg, PHL-US alliance remains strong

President Rodrigo Duterte on Wednesday said his tirade against United States Ambassador Philip Goldberg should be ignored, even as he expressed confidence about the strength of the country's alliance with the superpower.

"Pasagdi na lang na akong tirada sa ilang ambassador kay tinuod man na. Simply the truth at the time of election. Nganong muhatag man ka ug statement when the election is going on?" Duterte said.

("Just ignore my tirade against their ambassador because they were true anyway. Simply the truth at the time of election. Why would he give a statement when the election is going on?")

"Wala kay labot diha. That is our business. Kampanya gud ito," he added.

("You should not have meddled. That is our business. It was the campaign season."

Speaking to the 1st Infantry (Tabak) Division in Labangan, Zamboanga del Sur, Duterte promised to give the Armed Forces of the Philippines quality equipment, which can only be sourced from a few countries including the United States.

"There is only one source. Two or one. The United States with whom we have alliance militarily," he said.

"But I will reiterate our strong alliance with America," he added.

Envoy summoned

The president had called Goldberg “bakla” or “gay” for his negative reaction over Duterte's remarks about the rape of an Australian missionary in 1989 during the campaign.

Elizabeth Trudeau, the director of the State Department press office, earlier revealed that the department had summoned Filipino charge d'affaires Patrick Chuasoto to explain the "inappropriate comments" made by Duterte.

The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said that ties between the Philippines and the United States remain strong amid the issue. —JST, GMA News