Locsin: Courtesy diplomatic passports already cancelled

MANILA, Philippines—Courtesy diplomatic passports that were issued to retired ambassadors have already been canceled, Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin, Jr. said Wednesday.

In an interview over ABS-CBN New Channel, Locsin announced that some 172 diplomatic passports issued as courtesy have been cancelled by the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA).

“What they (should) do is they come to me and I may renew it. I may renew it,” Locsin said.

The DFA earlier announced it would cancel all courtesy diplomatic passports issued to former top diplomats following the ordeal of former Foreign Secretary Albert Del Rosario at the Hong Kong airport.

READ: DFA to cancel all diplomatic passports issued to ex-top diplomats 

Del Rosario flew to Hong Kong for a business meeting but was blocked by immigration officers from entering. He was held at an airport immigration lounge for hours before being told that he was denied entry without any explanation and was put on a flight back to Manila.

Both Senate President Vicente “Tito” Sotto III  and Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo have questioned Del Rosario’s use of the diplomatic passport, saying that he may have misused it.

Locsin added that he will come up with a “stricter rules” on the use of diplomatic passports. (Editor: Mike U. Frialde)