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Philippines to improve ties with EU after squabble on anti-drug campaign

Xinhua, January 17, 2017 Adjust font size:

The Philippines is looking forward to improving and strengthening ties with European Union (EU) as it welcomed the reported plans of the European body to support and help the country's anti-illegal drugs campaign and rehabilitation program, Philippine presidential palace said Tuesday.

"As the Duterte administration gains ground in the war on drugs, the Palace welcomes all plans and offers of help without conditions for the country's drug rehabilitation program including those coming from the European Union," presidential spokesman Ernesto Abella said.

"We also expect better ties between the Philippines and EU noting that there are issues for stronger areas of cooperation such as trade, justice and security, and economic development," Abella added.

The EU said recently that it is looking at ways to support the anti-drug campaign of the Duterte government particularly through drug rehabilitation programs since it is a key project of the administration.

Duterte has launched a "drug war" in the Philippines after he won elections in a landslide in May 2016. European Parliament condemned "the current wave of extrajudicial executions and killings in the Philippines" in September last year, which resulted in Duterte's verbal attacks. Endit