DAVAO CITY – The US cannot handle the truth and this is the reason why President Barack Obama called off his meeting with President Rodrigo Duterte, a lawmaker said.

Bayan Muna Rep. Carlos Zarate said that the nationalist position of Mr. Duterte does not appeal to the interests of the US government.

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“The cancellation of the meeting between Pres. Rodrigo Duterte and US Pres. Barack Obama only shows that Obama and the US government cannot handle the truth: that for what seems to be ad finitum before, there is now a leader of its colonized territory, Pres. Duterte, who can boldly assert that the Philippines is a sovereign country and no longer a vassal state of Imperial America,” Zarate said.

Calling it a “hypocrisy,” Zarate said the US has a long history of aggression in the Philippines.

“They cannot handle their own hypocrisy when reminded of the 600,000 Filipinos, including our Moro brothers and sisters in Mindanao, who were slaughtered and killed in the name of its colonial and imperialist ‘benevolent assimilation’ doctrine, of the victims of the Balangiga massacre, the Bud Dajo massacre, as well numerous other atrocities done by American forces throughout the country,” Zarate added.

To facilitate real and equal relations, the US government must work on giving justice for the victims, the lawmaker remarked.

“The US must admit and apologize for these atrocities and we support other peoples’ demanding such,” Zarate said.

READ: Duterte to Obama: Don’t lecture me on rights, PH not a US colony

Zarate asserts that the progressive movement is standing by President Duterte in his nationalist policies.

“We stand with Pres. Duterte in taking and asserting an independent policy in dealing with other countries, particularly the US and China, with only the larger and best interest of the Filipino people and the country as the considerations,” Zarate added.

He said that policies like this must be supported by the people to ensure genuine sovereignty in the country.

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“We should support the independent policy of the Duterte administration and we hope that this will also lead into the country breaking away from vassal-like treaties entered into by past administrations, like the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA), the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA) and other onerous military and economic treaties with other countries,” Zarate said.





However, Zarate said this support should also go with the continuing campaigns for human rights and economic reforms.

“While we continue to be vigilant and constructive in dealing with issues, like human rights and neoliberal economic policies, we urge President Duterte to continue pursuing his pro-poor, pro-people and nationalist policies and agenda,” Zarate said. CDG

READ: Duterte expresses regret over Obama profane comment

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