PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte and Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad agreed on Monday to strengthen defense and security cooperation at the bilateral and regional levels.
Duterte, who was in Kuala Lumpur over the weekend to watch the Pacquiao-Mathysse boxing match, thanked the Malaysian premier for supporting the peace process in Mindanao.
“President Duterte expressed appreciation for Malaysia’s sustained support for the quest for just and lasting peace and development in Mindanao,” Malacañang said in a statement after the two leaders met at the Prime Minister’s Office in Putrajaya, Selangor, Malaysia on Monday afternoon.
“Both leaders stressed the importance of working closely together bilaterally and at Asean to achieve shared aspirations of greater peace, progress and prosperity for the Philippines and Malaysia, and greater stability and security in the region,” the statement read.
It said Duterte sought a stronger response to terrorism and violent extremism, as well as transnational crimes such as piracy, armed robbery at sea and the illegal drug trade.
Duterte and Mahathir renewed and reaffirmed the long-standing brotherhood and friendship between the Philippines and Malaysia, the Palace said.
Duterte had wanted to personally congratulate Mahathir, who became the world’s oldest head of government at 92 years old in May when he came out of retirement to run and defeat the corruption-plagued Najib Razak.
Mahathir ruled Malaysia for 22 years from 1981 to 2003.
The bilateral meeting happened a day after the two leaders watched the fight of Pacquiao and Argentine fighter Lucas Matthysse in Kuala Lumpur.
Photos showed a warm relationship between the two, with Mahathir even posing for a picture with Duterte, Pacquiao, Palace spokesman Harry Roque Jr. and other Filipinos with their fists raised.