Stop issuing ‘own interpretation’ of Duterte’s statements: Robredo
Published on: Tuesday, September 17, 2019
MANILA: Vice President Leni Robredo (pic) called out presidential spokesperson Salvador Panelo for his contradicting statements with President Rodrigo Duterte on whether the administration would “ignore” the South China Sea arbitral ruling.Robredo said Panelo, also the chief presidential legal counsel, should first be better informed of what Duterte exactly stated before he presents his own “interpretation” to avoid contradicting each other.ADVERTISEMENT
She urged the presidential spokesman to stop this “practice” of issuing a contradicting clarification, referring to Panelo’s differing explanation of Duterte’s pronouncement that he would drop the arbitral ruling to pursue joint exploration with China.
“I am really confused, because the president said, he said something different. The president said he would set aside the arbitral ruling; he (Panelo) said that’s not what the president meant,” Robredo said.
“We are really confused, that’s why I am speaking up. Because it doesn’t have to end with confusion because the statements are not doing us any good,” she added.
Earlier, Panelo also chided Robredo for her alleged “misplaced and flamboyant remarks” after she expressed dismay over Duterte’s plan to “ignore” the arbitral ruling for a joint oil and gas exploration deal with China.ADVERTISEMENT
Panelo said Robredo is only “finding fault in every word the president says.” He also accused the vice president and her team of failing to comprehend “the complexities of our current situation with China.”
Robredo, however, said she is not just opposing the president but also making sure that she would follow her mandate as vice president.
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She said that it is her instincts as a lawyer and mother that led her to raise concerns over Duterte’s “alarming” remarks.
“We have an obligation to speak up if there is a maligning statement or if something bad is happening, even if they get mad at us,” Robredo said.
“This statement of the president has great implications and repercussions not just for us but the future generations. Can you imagine, we fought for it then we give up what was awarded to us — the declaration that’s ours, we will give up just for a deal with China?” she added.Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express’s Telegram channel.
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Duterte earlier said China has agreed to a 60-40 sharing scheme in the possible joint oil and gas exploration in the West Philippine Sea.
During his bilateral meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping last month, Duterte said he raised the arbitral ruling. Xi, however, refused to acknowledge the ruling that invalidated Beijing’s nine-dash line claim over the South China Sea in 2016.