Trump says Duterte ‘doing great’ on war vs drugs

Duterte and Trump: Similarities in personality —AFP

“You are doing great. Go ahead!”

This was what United States President-elect Donald Trump told President Rodrigo Duterte during their phone conversation on Dec. 2.

Duterte during the United Nations Convention against Corruption on Wednesday at Malacañang, recalled that Trump told him to just focus on his war against illegal drugs because America had its own problems.

“President Duterte, you are doing great,” he recalled Trump telling him.

The Philippines had a strained relationship with the US after President Barack Obama criticized Duterte on his brutal war against illegal drugs.

Duterte did not like that Obama was interfering with the Philippines’ domestic affairs.