The United States played a “very important role” in defeating Islamic State supporters who occupied parts of a southern Philippine city for five months, the US ambassador in Manila said Thursday. The United States and the Philippines are longtime allies, with the nations bound by a mutual defense pact. However Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte has sought to loosen his nation’s alliance with the United States in favor of closer ties with China and Russia. Duterte last year called the then US president a “son of a whore” and said he planned to cancel all military exercises with the United States. “I’m not in any way threatened by the fact that China and Russia are also providing military assistance to the Philippines,” Kim said.

Source: Manila Times October 26, 2017 15:56 UTC