The United States said it looks forward to working with the next Philippine president "on key human rights and regional priorities" and added that last Monday's elections were conducted according to international standards and without any major incident.
US State Department spokesman Ned Price told the media in Washington that once the next president is officially proclaimed, the US will work "to strengthen the enduring alliance between the United States and the Philippines.”
“We're monitoring the election results and we look forward to renewing our special partnership and to working with the next administration on key human rights and regional priorities," Price said Tuesday (Wednesday in Manila).
Presumptive Philippine President Ferdinand Romualdez Marcos, Jr.
Asked if the US has any concern with Ferdinand Marcos Jr.
possibly being the next president, Price replied: "What I can say from a
technical standpoint is that we understand the casting and counting of votes to
have been conducted in line with international standards and without
significant incident."
"The counting is still underway. It is not for us to declare a winner. We'll wait for the Philippines election authorities to do that. We look forward to working with the president-elect on the shared values and the shared interests that have united our countries across generations," Price said.
Based on unofficial and partial election returns received by
the church-backed election watchdog Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible
Voting and authorized media outlets via the Commission on Elections
Transparency Media Server, Marcos Jr., 64, son and namesake of former dictator
Ferdinand Marcos who was ousted in a People Power revolt in 1986, is leading
the presidential race with a landslide margin over his closest challenger, Vice
President Leni Robredo, and eight other candidates.
Price said the US sees no change in its relations with its key Asian ally, saying "it is an enduring alliance that is rooted in a long and deeply interwoven history that shares democratic values and interests and strong people-to-people ties between our countries as friends, as partners, as allies."
America, he added, will also continue to collaborate closely with the Philippines "to advance a free and open, connected, prosperous, secure, and resilient Indo-Pacific region." - GMA News
