Duterte to OFWs: Help Japan "in good faith"; it has "word of honor"
President Rodrigo Duterte urged on Thursday overseas Filipinos workers to help Japan "in good faith" as it has the "word of honor" compared to other countries, such as the United States.
In a speech in Tokyo before the Filipino community, Duterte lamented that when the Philippines really needed firearms from the US, it failed to purchase some just because some America senators who opposed it.
"At the time that we needed the firearms, son of a b****, many died," he said apparently referring to the Marawi siege.
He said this was the reason he asked China, which provided free weapons to his administration.
In his previous speeches, Duterte noted that the firearm that killed the leader of the Maute terrorist group in Marawi during the 2017 siege was the one that China donated.
"That's really my sentiment against America and they are really bossy. Their sergeant and lieutenant, when they talked, it's as if they are generals also. I do not listen to you. You don't have word of honor," he said.
Duterte said, "Japan has the most word of honor. True."
"China promised so many things but because of this tariff war now, they are fighting with America," he said.
He noted that US President Donald Trump wanted to immediately address the trade imbalance between the two countries, which according to China was not its fault if it has been getting more than the US.
"It's not the fault of anybody," Duterte said.
Due to the issues in other countries, Duterte told the Filipinos in Japan to just focus on this country.
"If I were you, you help Japan, truly in good faith. Sweat it out because, first, they are kind to us and they provide us with so many things. Free," Duterte said.
He cited the case of the Davao City airport, which according to him was funded by the Japan International Cooperation Agency "for free."
"I don't need to say that. That's water under the bridge. Japan is a good country and the (Filipino) workers here are not disrespected. You're really treated here as human being," he said.
This was contrary to the experience of some Filipinos in the Middle East, he said.
During this part of his speech, which was aired live on Facebook and other television networks, Duterte asked that the live feed be cut.
Apparently, he did not want the public to hear what he would say against some Middle Eastern countries where some Filipino workers were being maltreated. Celerina Monte/DMS
