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Immediate Release

Readout of Secretary of Defense James N. Mattis' Meeting with Delfin Lorenzana, Secretary of National Defense of the Philippines

Pentagon Chief Spokesperson Dana W. White provided the following readout: 

Secretary of Defense James N. Mattis met with Philippine Secretary of National Defense, Delfin Lorenzana today at the Pentagon to reaffirm the longstanding defense relationship between the United States and the Philippines. 

The leaders discussed a broad range of defense issues, to include their commitment to fighting terrorism and reaffirmed U.S. military advisory support to assist the Philippines in combatting ISIS and other violent extremist networks.  

Secretary Mattis thanked Secretary Lorenzana for his country’s contribution to maritime security through its trilateral air and maritime patrols with Indonesia and Malaysia in the Sulu and Celebes Seas.