President Benigno S. Aquino III offers a wreath in front of the stained glass mural at the Colonnade of the Dambana ng Kagitingan, Mt. Samat Shrine in Pilar, Bataan during the 73rd Commemoration of the Araw ng Kagitingan (Day of Valor) on Thursday (April 09, 2015). This year’s theme: “Ipunla and Kagitingan sa Kabataan, Ihanda ang Beterano ng Kinabukasan.” Also in photo are US Ambassador to the Philippines His Excellency Philip Goldberg and Japan Ambassador to the Philippines His Excellency Kazuhide Ishikawa. (MNS Photo)
MANILA (Mabuhay) – United States Ambassador to the Philippines Philip Goldberg has congratulated Filipinos over the conduct of the recently concluded national and local elections.
In a tweet posted Tuesday, Goldberg said: “I congratulate the Filipinos on their exercise of democracy. It reminds the world that PH is such an open & healthy democratic system.”
The US envoy said he will congratulate the new leaders who will be at the country’s helm once their victories have been declared official.
“Looking forward to congratulating the next leaders of the Philippines once the official election results are in,” he tweeted.
The unofficial count of election results indicate Davao City Rodrigo Duterte is the apparent winner in the presidential race. Two of his rivals, administration standard bearer Manuel “Mar” Roxas II and Senator Grace Poe, have already conceded defeat.
A Reuters report quoted a US official as saying Monday that Washington is ready to work with presumptive President Duterte despite allegations of human rights abuses in the city he led for over two decades.
“Washington respects the choice of the Philippine people. We gladly work with the leaders they’ve selected,” State Department spokeswoman Elizabeth Trudeau said when asked about the elections in Manila. (MNS)