Wednesday, Jan. 31, 2018 | 1:15 a.m.
MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine defense chief reacted guardedly Wednesday to President Donald Trump's remarks on fighting terrorism in his first State of the Union address, saying Manila would lend its support whenever the efforts of the two nations coincide.
Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana told The Associated Press it did not really matter that Trump failed to mention U.S. policy on the South China Sea disputes involving China, the Philippines and four other governments, saying "that's his call."
"If our efforts against terrorists coincide, well and good, we cooperate," he said. "But in reality, each country will be addressing its own security problems by any legal means at its disposal."
The U.S. deployed surveillance aircraft to help Philippine forces quell an Islamic State group-linked siege in southern Marawi city last year.
Lorenzana did not comment on Trump's order to the Pentagon to keep the Guantanamo Bay detention center open in contrast to the failed efforts of former President Barack Obama to shut down the prison for high-profile terrorism suspects.
