(Eagle News) – Malacanang has clarified President Rodrigo Duterte’s statements on his threat challenging the European Union to go ahead and work for the country’s expulsion from the United Nations, saying it was an “expression of outrage” to statements from a European delegation that allegedly portrayed itself as an EU mission.
At the same time, Presidential Spokesperson Ernesto Abella said that the European Union had already sent the Palace its explanation that it had nothing to do with the group of European socialists who had issued critical statements against the Philippine government’s war on drugs recently.
Abella also said that the earlier critical statements of the International Delegates of the Progressive Alliance were “irresponsible” and demeaning to the country.
“The President’s expression of outrage is in reaction to statements by a 7-member delegation of the International Delegates of the Progressive Alliance which has falsely portrayed itself as an EU mission,” Abella said in a statement.
“This delegation’s irresponsible statements protesting the alleged killings under the Duterte Administration demean our status as a sovereign nation,” he said.
Abella stressed the “the call of the President for EU ambassadors to leave the country in 24 hours must be taken in this light.”
“For so long has our President tolerated these undue interferences in our domestic affairs, and he has decided that these must stop if only to preserve the integrity and dignity of our State as a sovereign nation,” he said.
Abella said the European Delegation to the Philippines already issued a clarification that it has no involvement in the visit of 7-member delegation of the International Delegates of the Progressive Alliance, which Malacanang said “falsely portrayed itself as EU mission.”
“Any group or person who unduly interferes in our domestic affairs demeans our status as a sovereign nation,” he added.