(Eagle News)–Magdalo Party-list Rep. Gary Alejano on Saturday, June 2, hit back at Foreign Affairs Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano after the country’s top diplomat criticized the lawmaker for releasing information about Chinese coastguards harassing Filipino soldiers in Ayungin Shoal on May 11.
“Instead of holding the aggressor for its actions, DFA Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano seems more infuriated that the Filipino people was informed of the harassment against our soldiers in Ayungin Shoal,” Alejano, a critic of President Rodrigo Duterte and his administration, said.
According to Alejano, in the first place, if he had not released the information, he said he did not believe that the Duterte administration would “inform the public of such grave concern” based on how “they have been carrying out their secret diplomacy.”
“They would have concealed it again and then say to the public that everything is fine with China, when it is actually not,” he said.
He said “it is a different story when the government is fooling the people into thinking that our fishermen and troops are not being harassed by Chinese forces, that our own resources are not being exploited by Chinese poachers, and that the militarization efforts of China are not threats to our national security.”
For Alejano, “that is lying.”
“This is why other claimant and concerned states are protesting and expressing their alarm on China’s actions in the West Philippine Sea. The “Duterte way” not only weakens our vantage point on this issue, but it also selfishly endangers the security of our neighboring countries,” he said.
Cayetano criticized Alejano before he left for an official visit to South Korea on Friday, June 1.
“(Nag-announce) na kaagad ni Congressman Alejano na may incident noong May 11… Kayo, sa contract stars niyo, ano mangyayari kung habang nagne-negotiate, lalabas ‘yung info. You will weaken your position,” Cayetano said.
“Kaya nga nag-uusap, eh. Kung hindi ma-resolve ‘yun, eh ‘di mag-iingay kami para may pressure din sa kanila at dadalhin namin kung saan,” he added.