US President Donald Trump on Saturday invited his Philippine counterpart to Washington in a "friendly" call in which the leaders discussed Rodrigo Duterte’s war on drugs and their countries’ alliance, the White House said. Duterte has faced international condemnation for his brutal crackdown on crime, which has claimed thousands of lives and led to warnings from rights groups about a possible crime against humanity. The White House said the two leaders, who were both elected to office last year, had "a very friendly conversation" that included discussion about the Philippine government’s efforts to "rid its country of drugs" and the regional security threat posed by North Korea. "President Trump also invited President Duterte to the White House to discuss the importance of the United States-Philippines alliance, which is now heading in a very positive direction," the statement said. There has been concern about Duterte’s efforts to loosen the Philippines’ long-standing alliance with...
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