The Ties That Bind
Nov 08, 2019
4 minutes
BY CHIT L LIJAUCO
It was not the best of times when His Excellency Sung Yong Kim presented his credentials to Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte as the new US ambassador to the Philippines in December 2016. A few months before, the newly-installed Filipino leader took to task then-American President Barack Obama for the concern that the latter expressed regarding alleged human rights violations related to Duterte’s bloody anti-drug campaign.
But according to reports, the official function lasted more than an hour. Worried observers heaved a sigh of relief; clearly, Ambassador Kim has a disarming way about him. A popular opinion quickly formed: here was the best man to fill such an important role
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