(Eagle News)—-Foreign Affairs Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano lashed out at Former President Benigno Aquino III, who criticized his handling of the West Philippine Sea issue and hoped the secretary’s politics were as “transparent” as their hairstyles.
In a statement posted on his Facebook account, Cayetano said it was “regrettable” the former president “chose to play with words, including our haircuts, in responding to an immensely important issue and addressing people’s main questions about the situation at the WPS.”
“While we both lost some of our hair, your administration lost control of Scarborough, and a great opportunity to expand tourism, infrastructure and agriculture,” Cayetano said.
According to Cayetano, “we also lost many opportunities for cooperation in fields like science and technology, protection of the environment, among others, all because of the approach you, together with former (Foreign Affairs) Secretary (Albert) Del Rosario and Senator (Antonio) Trillanes IV chose to adopt and implement.”
Instead of debating on which administration is “more transparent and/or misled people on many facets of this complicated situation,” Cayetano urged Aquino to respond to several questions.
The questions included the purpose, nature and results of Trillanes’ back-channel talks with China during Aquino’s administration, with Cayetano noting that the senator, who had made 16 trips to China, refused to reveal the same when asked by then-Senator Juan Ponce Enrile in a Senate session.
“Instead, he walked out and invoked presidential prerogative so he would not be compelled to respond. Since then, nothing has been heard of his secret trips. Why?” Cayetano asked.
Other questions
These were the other questions posed by Cayetano to Aquino:
“How did we lose control of Scarborough during your watch in 2012?”
“Who made the decision to end the stand-off by ordering ships to leave, and on whose advice?”
“Who was in command of the situation? Was it you, Senator Trillanes or Secretary Del Rosario?”
“Why didn’t you order the Philippine ships to return to the area when the Chinese ships did not leave as expected?”
“We note that there seems to be a denial all around of any negotiated joint withdrawal of both Chinese and Philippine vessels from the shoal. Was there any agreement? Brokered by who?”
“What was the US commitment on the WPS issue, if any? And how was this relayed to you or was this discussed with you directly when you sat down with (then-US) President (Barack) Obama at one point in time?”
“What did you discuss with President Obama?…Did Mr. Obama tell you that the US does not get involved with territorial disputes like in the WPS? How did you respond to that?”
“What are your plans or proposals for oil and gas exploration in the WPS?”
“Our people await your response to these questions in earnest, to be fully informed finally of the background of our complicated situation…If indeed transparency is important to you as you claim, then consider your early response to these questions as crucial,” Cayetano told Aquino.
On Tuesday, Cayetano urged Aquino to ask Del Rosario if he was transparent with his dealings with China.
Aquino, in response, noted that his administration was transparent.
“He and I both have a transparent hairstyle; hopefully his politics, too, could be transparent,” Aquino had said.
