Duterte’s crime-fighting model finds an ally in Jakarta, boosting regional security
Edsel Tupaz says the mutual admiration between the leaders of the Philippines and Indonesia bodes well for the regional push against drugs and maritime piracy by the Abu Sayyaf
Bilateral ties between Indonesia and the Philippines have never been warmer. Just days before his recent state visit to Jakarta, Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte – in an act of goodwill – released all but nine of the 177 Indonesian Hajj pilgrims detained for holding fake Philippine passports.
In Jakarta, Duterte and Indonesian President Joko Widodo issued a joint statement strengthening their commitment to addressing the growing threat of maritime piracy, driven by Islamic State-affiliated Abu Sayyaf, in the Sulu and Sulawesi seas, the waters between Indonesia and the Philippines.
There is mutual admiration between the leaders and this bodes well for bilateral relations, including regional security issues.
Indonesia anti-drugs chief calls for tougher Philippine-style war against dealers
Widodo and Duterte are popular among the masses. Both ran on campaigns to fight crime. It comes as no surprise, then, that bilateral relations look set to be a validation of similar character, style and policies.
Duterte’s state visit will improve relations with Indonesia mainly through better regional security. The latest executive agreement allows Indonesian maritime forces to enter Philippine territorial waters when in “hot pursuit” of criminal elements. The Sulu and Sulawesi seas have long been a haven for piracy.