Yasay likened to Lascañas, Matobato

Foreign Affairs Secretary Perfecto Yasay. MARIANNE BERMUDEZ/INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

Foreign Secretary Perfecto Yasay Jr. might have difficulty getting the approval of the Commission on Appointments (CA) for lying about his citizenship, Senate Majority Leader Vicente “Tito” Sotto III said on Tuesday.

“Yasay did a Lascañas/Matobato style,” Sotto said in a text message, referring to retired SPO3 Arturo Lascañas and Edgard Matobato.

Lascañas and Matobato  both claimed to be part of the so-called Davao Death Squad, which they said moved on orders of President Rodrigo Duterte to kill criminals and enemies when he was still mayor of Davao City.

Asked then about Yasay’s chances of getting  CA approval, Sotto said: “Tagilid (in jeopardy).”

Yasay lied about having an American passport when he told the CA’s committee on foreign affairs last February 22 that he never owned one but later admitted in a recent television interview that he had a US passport.

READ: Yasay: I had an American passport but had it returned

In the same hearing of the CA panel, the official repeatedly denied he became a US citizen but a report of the Philippine Daily Inquirer last February 27 showed he acquired US citizenship in 1986.

READ: Senators: Yasay could lose DFA post due to US citizenship issue | Yasay: American, Filipino or stateless?

Sotto said lying before the Commission is a serious matter.

“Mabigat ‘yun (That is major). If you can lie to the Commission, you can lie to the people,” he said in an interview with reporters.

Asked if Yasay’s appointment would be rejected by the CA, Sotto said: “At the moment, it’s likely that he will have difficulty with the CA because of that particular incident. Parang Matobato ‘yan (That is similar to the case of Matobato).”

Senate President Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III described Yasay’s situation as “complicated.”

“The words do not match the documents at tsaka from what I hear sa interview n’ya, he disqualified himself. Paanong nangyari ‘yun? How can you disqualify yourself from something you applied for? Hindi ko maintindihan so let’s ask him for his theory,” Pimentel said in a separate interview.

(The words do not match the documents, and from what I heard on his interview, he disqualified himself. How did that happen? How can you disqualify yourself from something you applied for? I do not understand, so let’s ask him for his theory.) IDL/rga