Foreign Affairs Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano and Magdalo Rep. Gary Alejano. INQUIRER file photos
Opposition Magdalo Party-list Representative Gary Alejano has become a “purveyor of fake news,” Foreign Affairs Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano said on Tuesday.
At first, Cayetano said he thought Alejano had just been given a bum steer when the latter earlier claimed that the administration had allegedly ordered the military not to patrol in the disputed area of the West Philippine Sea.
But with Alejano’s latest claim about President Rodrigo Duterte’s upcoming trip to Israel next week, the secretary now seemed convinced the lawmaker has become a “purveyor of fake news.”
“Unang-una, in a state visit, bawat galaw mo tinitingnan eh. So, whether a doctor goes to him or he goes to a hospital, hindi mo masisikreto iyon,” Cayetano said in an interview at the Senate on Tuesday.
(First and foremost, in a state visit, every move you make is monitored. So whether a doctor goes to him or he goes to a hospital, you cannot keep that a secret)
“So I don’t know, if because gustong-gusto niyang maging senador, nagiging purveyor na siya ng fake news, but ang layo talaga,” he said.
(So, I don’t know if he really just wants to become a senator, that he has now become a purveyor of fake news but it’s really far-fetched)
Alejano earlier said Duterte’s trip to Israel had something to do with his health.
READ: Duterte mocks Alejano, plays with Magdalo health scare claim
“Siguro kung dito ka nawala, and then nag-speculate ka na baka nagpapagamot, baka may sakit, pwede mo pang sabihin na naniwala ka sa bubwit mo, may nag-inform sayo kahit mali,” Cayetano said.
(Maybe if you disappear here and then you speculate that you went to seek for a medical treatment or you are sick, you can still claim it’s because you believe your source, that somebody has provided you false information.)
“Pero yung magsabi sa iyong may state visit, with full entourage and a full schedule tapos sasabihin mong ano… plus the President has never kept things about his health. Kung may iniinda siya or may nararamdaman siya, sasabihin niya,” he added.
(But when somebody tells you that there’s a state visit, with full entourage and a full schedule and then you’d say… plus the President has never kept things about his health. If he feels something or if he feels ill, he would say it.) /jpv