U.S. grant suspension to Philippines not to have "great impact": foreign secretary

The Philippine government does not see any "great impact" on its economy if the United States continues to defer its grant due to concerns on rule of law and civil liberties, a senior government official said on Friday.

The U.S. State Department has said that the second compact from the U.S. Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) will involves bigger amount.

"But then again, this is what our economic experts say, we're not really bothered by it, we will not be sleepless over this decision," Foreign Secretary Perfecto Yasay said in an interview with reporters in Singapore.

Yasay was with President Rodrigo Duterte In Singapore for a visit.

He said if MCC's deferment of the second grant was merely a ploy for the Philippines to bow down to the U.S. demands, "we will not do so."

"If they don't want to help us, then we'll accept that. But we feel very strongly that as friends, this is not the tack that should be adopted," he stressed.

He said if the United States would want to help the Philippines, it would not set conditions.

The MCC has said that its Board deferred a vote on the re-selection of the Philippines for compact development, "subject to a further review of concerns around rule of law and civil liberties."

The MCC is an independent U.S. Government agency working to reduce global poverty through economic growth.

The United States has raised concerns on the killings of thousands of alleged drug suspects in the war on drugs that President Rodrigo Duterte has declared. Enditem