The US ambassador entered the Duterte stronghold, and the cameras loved it. Ambassador Lee Lipton visited Davao City and met with Mayor Sebastian "Basta" Duterte. Warm words, pictures, talks about hospitality. No agreements have been announced. Remember the context. Rodrigo Duterte is in The Hague before the ICC, his camp has spent years influencing Washington, and Sara Duterte is eyeing 2028. So why the visit? Washington is hedging its bets. Whoever wins in 2028, the US wants the bases, EDCA and the alliance to survive. The Dutertes get an image of legitimacy. Americans get insurance. Davao gets nothing on paper.

The US ambassador entered the Duterte stronghold, and the cameras loved it. Ambassador Lee Lipton visited Davao City and met with Mayor Sebastian "Basta" Duterte. Warm words, pictures, talks about hospitality. No agreements have been announced. Remember the context. Rodrigo Duterte is in The Hague before the ICC, his camp has spent years influencing Washington, and Sara Duterte is eyeing 2028. So why the visit? Washington is hedging its bets. Whoever wins in 2028, the US wants the bases, EDCA and the alliance to survive. The Dutertes get an image of legitimacy. Americans get insurance. Davao gets nothing on paper.