MANILA, Philippines — Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. sees “not a scintilla of justification” for the cancelation of Senator Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa’s U.S. visa, saying it was intended to “insult” the sovereignty of the Philippines.
“It was not about Bato. And there was no call, no reason, not a scintilla of justification for canceling his US visa except the peevishness of an Obama holdover—or not; but the intention is to insult Philippine sovereignty,” the country’s top diplomat said over Twitter late Wednesday.
It was not about Bato. And there was no call, no reason, not a scintilla of justification for canceling his US visa except the peevishness of an Obama holdover—or not; but the intention is to insult Philippine sovereignty. The scale of the stupidity and hypocrisy is breathtaking. https://t.co/78mYt0MCQq
— Teddy Locsin Jr. (@teddyboylocsin) January 29, 2020
“The scale of the stupidity and hypocrisy is breathtaking,” he added.
The foreign affairs chief’s tweet comes after the senator said he would not demand the “rectification” of his canceled visa.
https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1221059/you-dont-like-me-i-dont-like-you-also-dela-rosa-tells-us?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=Twitter#Echobox=1580301663
Last week, Dela Rosa disclosed that his 10-year, multiple-entry tourist visa was canceled.
He said no reason was given to him by the U.S. Embassy but he surmised this might have been because of his role in the Duterte administration’s bloody war on drugs, which he led as Philippine National Police (PNP) chief.
The cancelation of the senator’s visa triggered President Rodrigo Duterte to issue a threat that he would terminate the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) between the Philippine and the U.S.
The chief executive also barred members of his Cabinet from traveling to the U.S.