Trump criticizes 'last' PH admin: They didn't know what they're doing

United States President Donald Trump has criticized the Philippines' ''last'' administration, saying that ''they didn't know what they are doing.''

Trump made the remark during a joint press conference Tuesday with President Ferdinand ''Bongbong'' Marcos Jr. The Republican leader, however, did not specify Marcos' predecessor Rodrigo Duterte in his remarks. 

''I think I can say that the last administration was not getting along with them too well. They didn’t get along with anybody. They didn’t know. Honestly, they didn’t know what they are doing,'' Trump said. 

''But we have some fantastic military relationships with the Philippines and that has been reinstituted,'' he added. 

Trump also said that tilting towards China would not have been good for the Philippines.

''I know you have some problems with another president... and it was the President's fault. The country may be tilting towards China but we untilted it very very quickly but you know, you did have... you and your country is tilting towards China for a period of time and I just don't think that would have been good for you,'' Trump said. 

''You can deal with China, you should deal with China but when I get elected, everything change and they came right back to us,'' Trump added. 

Trump, however, said the US' ties with China has been ''well.''

To recall, the Duterte administration chose to have closer ties with China after the US had deeply criticized its bloody campaign against illegal drugs.

‘Unfavorable’ 

For her part, Vice President Sara Duterte said that she’s not expecting that Marcos would say anything favorable about her father in his meeting with the US President. 

“Wala akong expectation. Wala akong expectation na i-bring up niya doon anything favorable to former president Rodrigo Duterte. Likely, baka i-bring up niya doon pero ang kanyang sasabihin ay things that are unfavorable to president Duterte because he will really defend what they did to the former president,” she told reporters in The Netherlands. 

(I have no expectations. I have no expectations that he will bring up there anything favorable to former president Rodrigo Duterte. Likely, he will bring up there but what he will say is things that are unfavorable to president Duterte because he will really defend what they did to the former president.) 

Meanwhile, Trump emphasized that he is honored to have Marcos in the White House. 

''Great family. Great family legacy. An ally respected in this country,'' Trump said. — RSJ/RF, GMA Integrated News