WASHINGTON, D.C:US President Donald Trump praised his Philippine counterpart Rodrigo Duterte over his immensely polarizing drug war, which has killed thousands of people, reports said Tuesday (Wednesday in Manila). “Many countries have the problem, we have a problem, but what a great job you are doing and I just wanted to call and tell you that,” Trump said, according to a transcript made by the Philippine government and released by The Washington Post and The Intercept. Unknown assailants have killed more than 1,800 others, while about 5,700 other violent deaths are under investigation, according to police data. Partly in response to American criticism, Duterte has loosened the Philippines’ traditionally strong ties with its ally. Duterte has instead embraced China, which has supported his drug war and sought to deepen economic ties by providing billions of dollars’ worth of investments and aid to the Philippines.

Source: Manila Times May 24, 2017 03:45 UTC