President Rodrigo Duterte has again made a surprising turnaround, declaring on Thursday that he wants to be friends with Americans.

In a speech during the commemoration of the 116th year of Balangiga Encounter Day in Balangiga, Eastern Samar, the President acknowledged that the US had been of great help to the Philippines. He noted that incidents during the war are “all water under the bridge” including the razing of Balangiga town and the carting away by US soldiers of two bells which the country had asked the United States to return.

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