DFA urged to file diplomatic protest over US intel report

Alvarez said it is the US who undermines the sovereignty of many nations because of its meddling in other countries’ internal affairs in order to ensure its dominance and promote its interests.(Photo: Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez/Facebook)

MANILA — Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez wants the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) to file a diplomatic protest against the United States over its intelligence report claiming President Rodrigo Duterte is a threat to democracy and human rights.

Alvarez said it is the US who undermines the sovereignty of many nations because of its meddling in other countries’ internal affairs in order to ensure its dominance and promote its interests.

“Unang-una, mag-ano ng protesta yung DFA kasi, anong pakialam nila sa atin, di ba? Sila nga itong maraming kalokohan sa iba’t ibang bansa (First of all, the DFA should file a protest because what do they care about us, right? They are the ones who did a lot of mischief in other countries),” Alvarez said in a radio interview.

According to the US Intelligence Community in its Worldwide Threat Assessment report, Duterte is among the “regional threats” to US national security in Southeast Asia.

“In the Philippines, President Duterte will continue to wage his signature campaign against drugs, corruption, and crime,” the US Intelligence Community said.

“Duterte has suggested he could suspend the Constitution, declare a ‘revolutionary government’, and impose nationwide martial law. His declaration of martial law in Mindanao, responding to the ISIS-inspired siege of Marawi City, has been extended through the end of 2018,” the US Intelligence Community added.

Alvarez called on the Filipino people to unite and protect the sovereignty of the Philippines from undue interference by the US.

“Matagal na silang nakikialam sa atin. Dapat ngayon ipakita natin na hindi dapat nila pakialaman yung ating sovereignty (They have long meddled with our own affairs. Now, we should show them that they should not trample upon our sovereignty),” Alvarez said.

US intel report merely based on headlines

Senator Sherwin Gatchalian, meanwhile, dismissed the US report, saying that it seemed to be merely based on the headlines of international media outfits.

According to the US Intelligence Community in its Worldwide Threat Assessment report, Duterte is among the “regional threats” to US national security in Southeast Asia.

“In the Philippines, President Duterte will continue to wage his signature campaign against drugs, corruption, and crime,” the US Intelligence Community said.

“Duterte has suggested he could suspend the Constitution, declare a ‘revolutionary government,’ and impose nationwide martial law. His declaration of martial law in Mindanao, responding to the ISIS-inspired siege of Marawi City, has been extended through the end of 2018,” it added.

Gatchalian pointed out, that most of what was written in the report missed the point and was far from the reality on the ground.

“Actually, binasa ko ang report na yun (I read that report) and it’s really a three-sentence mention of the Philippines. Ang analysis ko, yungsentence na yun ay based on headlines na nababasa nila sa international papers o international media outfits (My analysis is that sentence is based on headlines that they read in international papers or international media outfits,” the lawmaker said during the regular Kapihan sa Senado forum.

“That analysis (report) is based on the things that they read in the headlines. But if you go deeper into details, especially to the actions of the President, hindi naman ganoon ang ginagawa niya,” Gatchalian said.

While President Duterte did say in the past that he might be “tempted” to suspend the Constitution and impose nationwide martial law, Gatchalian noted the Chief Executive’s penchant for exaggeration and said that the Filipino people “are all used to that exaggeration.”

He said that for him, “actions speak louder than words” and the President’s actions were far from what the US intelligence report was implying.

“Sabi doon sa report, isu-suspend ang (The report said there will be a suspension of the) Constitution but there is no way na masu-suspend ang (to suspend the) Constitution because we have a Constitution in the Senate that will prevent that from happening,” he said.

“Nasabi doon na papalaganapin ng President ang martial law (It was stated there that the President will expand martial law), but the President went to Congress to seek advice and to seek permission to expand martial law in Mindanao, at in-affirm naman ito ng Supreme Court (and it was affirmed by the Supreme Court). So makikita natin (as we can see) we have mechanism in place para hindi mangyari ang mga sinasabi niya,” Gatchalian stressed.

Duterte placed the entire Mindanao under martial law after Islamic State-inspired terrorists attacked Marawi last May 23, 2017.

On his request, lawmakers extended martial law until December 31, 2017.

Due to the continued threat of terrorism, Congress approved anew Duterte’s request to further extend martial law in Mindanao for another year, or until the end of 2018.

On all counts, the Supreme Court upheld the validity of martial law in the region.

“Three sentences cannot describe what is happening in our country. Mas maraming (There are more) discussions ang dapat gawin upang malaman ang totoong nangyayari sa ating bansa (that must be done to know what is really happening in our country) and I believe our institutions are working,” Gatchalian said. (PNA)