Alvarez urges PH to file diplomatic protest vs U.S. over intelligence report

Alvarez in a radio interview on Wednesday, February 21 questioned why the U.S. is even “meddling” with the Philippines’s affairs. (Photo: Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez/Facebook)

MANILA, Philippines—House Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez said that the Philippines should pursue a diplomatic protest against the United States of America over its report tagging President Rodrigo Duterte as a “threat” to democracy.

Alvarez in a radio interview on Wednesday, February 21 questioned why the U.S. is even “meddling” with the Philippines’s affairs.

“Unang-una, mag-(file) 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 [United States] care about us, right? They’re the ones who commit a lot of shenanigans in different countries),” he said.

The United States Intelligence Community on February 13 released Worldwide Threat Assessment report that covers “threats to US national security.” In this report, Duterte was listed as “regional threats” to US national security in Southeast Asia.

“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 report read.

“In the Philippines, President Duterte will continue to wage his signature campaign against drugs, corruption, and crime,” it added.

Alvarez refuted this report and said that the U.S. is the “threat to democracy,” not the Philippines.

“Well, para sa akin, ‘yung United States of America, sila ‘yung banta sa demokrasya ng buong mundo. Nanghihimasok sila, nakikialam sa independence at sovereignty of several nations in the world (Well, for me, the United States of America, they are the threat to democracy in the whole world. They intrude, they meddle with the independence and sovereignty of several nations in the world),” the House Speaker said.

In spite of this, Alvarez said that the Philippines and U.S. remain “friends.” He also suggested the formation of a “United Nations of Asia” to ensure the interests of the Philippines and other Asian countries.

The Malacañang on Wednesday said that it views the report of the U.S. Intelligence Community with “some concern,” and denied that the president is autocratic or has autocratic tendencies.

“The US intelligence community’s assessment is myopic and speculative at best,” Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said.

Roque added that the President knows and adheres to the law. “He adheres to the rule of law and remains loyal to the constitution. He wants to uphold the rule of law. He knows about the bill of rights.”