Jose Alejandrino: US top official believes that Trump supports additional powers for Duterte

Arsenio Antonio, a concerned netizen, posted on Thursday how President Donald Trump of the United States of America will positively react if President Rodrigo Duterte were given additional powers to combat the “scourge” of illegal drugs.

Antonio discussed the said piece through sharing the Facebook post of Jose Alejandrino, former presidential assistant for economic affairs in the admnistration of Fidel V. Ramos.

Alejandrino’s post was about his supposed private conversation from a top Washington official, who chose to remain anonymous because it may lead to a “misunderstanding”.

Jose Alejandrino / Photo credits to the owner

He said that the Washington official noted that “President Trump does not believe in interfering in the internal affairs of any country and that it would be for each country to chart its own destiny.”

Alejandrino said that the official felt that President would respect decision of Filipino people should they decide to give Duterte additional powers.

Moreover, Alejandrino also said that the said Washington official added that Trump and Duterte “has established a close rapport with our president and fully supports him on his campaigns against illegal drugs and terrorism.”

The Washington official, according to the Alejandrino’s narration, clarified that Trump will support giving Duterte additional supporters provided that it was done in a democratic manner.

Photo credits to the owner

Here is Alejandrino’s full narration of their conversation,

“I had a private conversation with a top official in Washington to ask him how the US government would react if the people gave Duterte extraordinary powers? He said as far as he knew the White House doesn't have a policy on the matter. So I asked him for his personal views. He gave them on the understanding they were not official and I would not quote him by name because it might lead to a misunderstanding. I assured him that his views would remain off-record and that I would not quote him.

He said that as far as he knows President Trump does not believe in interfering in the internal affairs of any country and that it would be for each country to chart its own destiny. Now if the people of a country decided to give their president additional powers, the US would respect the decision of the people in that country. When Erdogan was given additional powers by the Turkish people, President Trump in fact congratulated him on his triumph.

Photo credits to the owner

He said that the US president has established a close rapport with our president and fully supports him on his campaigns against illegal drugs and terrorism. He has publicly acknowledged this. If the people of the Philippines feel their president needs additional powers to combat this scourge, or any other scourge, the US president would understand. So long as it comes from the people and is not a military coup, he personally thinks it would be acceptable.

There you are. While the above views do not constitute the official stance of the Trump government and were given in a personal capacity, I myself believe they are logical and sensible.

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Source: Facebook