"We had a conversation, perhaps, short conversation, a minute or so wherein I congratulated him," President Benigno Aquino III told members of the Malacañang Press Corps over lunch in Manila last Friday. He personally offered his assistance to his successor, President-elect Rodrigo Duterte, in a phone call Thursday night.
"I think we asked each other how we were and I reiterated my offer to be of assistance in any and every manner that they deem fit. More or less that was it. It was a pleasant conversation," he added.
"Parang natuwa naman siya (Duterte). Hindi naman tinanggihan at parang pinasalamatan yung alok natin. Sabi ko ano ba matutulong namin sa inyo, sa transition at sa pagkatapos," Aquino said.
"I think every patriot should be looking towards helping the next incoming administration and address the problems that are still here and the forthcoming problems that are bound to happen in the spirit of global challenges," he added.
Aquino also noted that Duterte helped his campaign in both the senatorial and 2010 presidential elections. “Nung ako’y tumakbo both times, tinulungan tayo ni President-elect Duterte, including the presidency. One of the first major turnouts of people happened in Davao,” he said.
It was Aquino and Duterte's first conversation since Duterte won the 2016 presidential elections.
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