Trillanes asks Duterte admin: ‘Carefully study’ course of action in Russia-Ukraine conflict

Former Senator Antonio Trillanes IV. FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines — The Duterte administration should “carefully study” the course of action it would take amid the conflict between Ukraine and Russia, senatorial candidate Antonio Trillanes said Wednesday.

Trillanes, a former senator and a staunch critic of Duterte, said that the situation between the two European countries is “very critical” and “very unpredictable,” adding that the move of the Philippine government will have an impact “beyond the present administration.”

“Sa mga ganitong bagay, kailangan natin na we can set aside ‘yung ating domestic politics, kasi it may involve ‘yung national interest natin,” Trillanes said in a statement.

(During this moment that we must set aside domestic politics because it now involves our national interest.)

According to Trillanes, while it will be easy to recommend not getting involved, “if China gets involved and Russia succeeds … we will surely be affected.”

Trillanes said the president’s advisers should convince the security cluster to deploy economic and political ambassadors and consult with other countries.

“Then eventually, ang magde-decide dyan ang presidente ng Pilipinas,” Trillanes said.

Trillanes said several factors should be taken into consideration by the Philippine government: welfare of Filipino migrant workers Ukraine in and how to safely repatriate them; the energy crisis that the conflict would cause; and the impact of the disruption in the supply chain, especially on oil prices.

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JPV