Philippines’ Rodrigo Duterte warns Vladimir Putin is suicidal

Philippines President Rodrigo ­Duterte has described Russian leader Vladimir Putin as ‘suicidal’, saying that if he lost face, he would ‘run amok’.

Rodrigo Duterte fears how far Vladimir Putin will go in order to achieve his aims in the Ukraine. Picture: AFP

Philippines President Rodrigo ­Duterte has described Russian leader Vladimir Putin as “suicidal” and said all countries would be ­affected if Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine were to descend into a ­nuclear conflict.

Speaking at the weekend about the escalating crisis that has now killed thousands of civilians, Mr Duterte said he wanted The Philippines to stay neutral over the conflict but accepted that it would eventually have to choose sides.

“For me, we stay neutral. But reality tells me that in the end, we’ll just have to select which side we would be,” the outgoing Philippines leader said.

“I just pray to God that this will not really go out of control. If it is not put under control, the world is in danger.

“Once they start to push the button of nuclear warheads or ­nuclear bombs, well, as one commentator said, it will melt the world.”

Mr Duterte made the comments just days after his country voted in favour of a UN General Assembly resolution condemning Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, along with fellow ASEAN member nations Indonesia, Cambodia, Singapore, Thailand, Myanmar and Malaysia.

Only ASEAN members Vietnam and Laos ­abstained from the vote.

The Philippines’ statement at the time of the UN vote read: “The Philippines votes ‘Yes’ to the UNGA resolution and expresses explicit condemnation of the ­invasion of Ukraine. No one can trust news reports of casualties on either side but 14,000 have been killed since 2014.”

A presidential statement last week also called for an “immediate end to the unnecessary loss of life” and urged Ukraine and Russia to forge an agreement that would prevent the crisis from escalating into a “conflagration that could engulf a world still struggling to recover from the Covid-19 pandemic”.

Mr Duterte late on Friday, after a special meeting with police, military and cabinet to discuss the ­crisis, said he feared how far Mr Putin would go in order to achieve his aims in Ukraine.

“I made a statement six years ago before I became a president. I was asked about Russia … I said the Americans will never stomach death and destruction. They are afraid,” he said.

“I said the Americans will not but you watch out for Putin, he is suicidal. If he loses face, he would run amok. And I realised it when I went to Russia.

I had a talk with him on all aspects of life, a long time ago. He said, ‘Are we friends?’ I said ‘I have no quarrel with you’.”

Mr Duterte also expressed concerns Manila’s alliance with the US and the two nations’ visiting forces agreement – which he has previously threatened to scrap – could endanger his country by ­allowing foreign military troops on to Philippines soil.

Australia also has a VFA with The Philippines.

“I’ll be frank with you, we have no choice. They are all here and we cannot drive them away, not at this time. They won’t go out, that’s silly,” he said.

“So you have the unrestricted use of our assets, whatever, be it land. We cannot do anything.

“You know, there’s a saying … ‘the hottest place in hell is reserved for a man facing a critical issue to remain neutral’ … So we will have to take sides in name only. But if Americans leave, that would be better for me.”

Amid efforts by the US and ­Europe to build a global consensus against Russian aggression in Ukraine, President Joe Biden has invited all ASEAN leaders to a US summit on March 28.

Mr ­Duterte said he had not yet ­decided whether he would attend.

“I do not hate the people. I have a child who is an American citizen. My wife was an OFW (overseas Filipino worker) in America. I bore a child … But perhaps you already heard many times over TV that I just don’t like the arrogance of the Americans,” he said.