Foreign Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano slammed Senator Antonio Trillanes IV and Magdalo Representative Gary Alejano on Thursday for “endangering” the country’s security when they alleged that President Rodrigo Duterte has stopped the patrols in the West Philippine Sea.
“It is very irresponsible of Senator Trillanes and Congressman Alejano to say na walang patrol (that we stopped patrolling the WPS),” Cayetano told reporters.
READ: Duterte has ordered AFP to cease patrolling West PH sea, says Alejano
The Foreign Affairs chief assured the Filipino people that government forces are conducting patrols in the West Philippine Sea.
“I myself saw the pictures and reports on the latest patrol. So I’m a hundred percent sure that what Congressman Gary Alejano is saying is a lie,” he said.
Last week, Alejano said he received information that the Duterte administration stopped the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) from patrolling the disputed West Philippine Sea.
But Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque belied Alejano’s claim, saying that “it’s impossible.” The AFP also denied receiving such an order from the Palace.
READ: AFP: No order from Palace to stop patrolling WPS
To illustrate his point, the secretary, who is fond of using analogies, said that what Alejano and Trillanes did was like a bank telling everyone that they’ve shut down their security systems and dismissed its security guards.
“They endanger our security and standing sa dispute na ito,” Cayetano said.
The Duterte ally also jeered Alejano, who earlier said he was running for the Senate in 2019, for using the issue in the South China Sea for political gains. /ee