MANILA, Philippines — Why do you have to announce it?
Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo on Tuesday raised this question to former Foreign Affairs secretary Albert Del Rosario who donated P500,000 to the 22 Filipino fishermen who were exposed for hours in open water after their fishing boat was rammed by a Chinese vessel at the Recto Bank in the West Philippine Sea.
Del Rosario made the donation through the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA).
Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. on Monday said he returned the money to Del Rosario, saying the DFA “cannot dispense donations.”
READ: Locsin returns Del Rosario’s P500,000 donation to ‘Recto Bank 22’
“Eh kung ako naman si Secretary Del Rosario, eh di binigyan ko ng tig-iisa iyong anong iyon, i-spread mo iyong kung magkano iyong binibigay mo. Pumunta ako doon nang walang nakakaalam at binigyan ko sila, ‘di ba. You don’t have to announce it,” Panelo said in an interview over CNN Philippines.
Del Rosario said he would instead tap the office of Vice President Leni Robredo for help in delivering his P500,000 donation to the fishermen.
READ: Del Rosario to ask OVP to turn over money to ‘Recto Bank 22’
The former Foreign Affairs chief slammed President Rodrigo Duterte and his administration for its handling of the Recto Bank incident.
The Philippines had earlier agreed to China’s offer for a joint probe on the Recto Bank incident, which was described by Duterte as a “little maritime accident.” (Editor: Mike U. Frialde)
READ: Duterte breaks silence on sinking of PH boat: ‘It’s a little maritime accident’