By Edith Regalado
DAVAO CITY, Philippines – President Duterte may officially get his wish for stronger defense and trade ties with Moscow when he visits Russia in May.
National Security Council chairman Hermogenes Esperon Jr. said the Philippines and Russia are in the process of finalizing details of agreements on government-to-government cooperation in the fields of security and intelligence, defense and military, law enforcement, terrorism and transnational crime, anti-illegal drugs work plan and maritime law enforcement.
“We are still in the process of crafting these agreements and these will be signed when the President visits Russia soon,” said Esperon, who was among the officials who met with Nikolai Patrushev, a close friend of Russian President Vladimir Putin and secretary of the National Security Council of Russia. The Russian official arrived here on Thursday for a three-day visit.
Duterte received Patrushev and his party at a dinner last night at the Marco Polo Hotel Davao following their initial meeting at the Malacañang in the South guest house in Barangay Panacan.
Esperon said Russia is also expected to help the country fight the terror group IS, mainly in terms of intelligence sharing.
Read the full story at The Philippine Star