MANILA – Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque dared Vice President Leni Robredo to prove her allegation that the Duterte administration has given away the country’s territories to China.
In his virtual presser from Davao City on Monday, Roque challenged Robredo to a debate and offer proof that the President surrendered the Philippines’ rights in the West Philippines Sea.
“Kung talagang ayaw ni Associate Justice (Antonio Carpio) na makipagdebate sa ordinaryong abogado gaya ko dahil siya’y retiradong mahistrado ng Supreme Court, tayo po magdebate kasi wala pong tigil ang pagsabi niyo na namimigay ng teritoryo ang Presidente,” Roque said.
Robredo, in her radio program on Sunday, said the cancelled debate between President Rodrigo Duterte and Carpio on the West Philippine Sea would have been a good public discourse.
President Duterte dared Carpio to a debate last week over the contested waters then changed his mind and tapped Roque in his stead.
In the same presser, Roque also dismissed the call of Carpio for Duterte to resign for falsely claiming that he (Caprio) was involved in the withdrawal of Philippine Navy ships from the Scarborough Shoal in 2012.
“Wishful thinking po ‘yan. Ang hamon ng pagbibitiw ay nag-ugat sa sinabi raw ni presidente na may kinalaman ang dating justice sa withdrawal ng Philippine Navy sa West Philippine Sea,” Roque said.
According to Roque, President Duterte never accused Carpio of being responsible for the loss of the country’s possession of the shoal to China during the Aquino administration.
He insisted that the President said was that Carpio had a role in the decision to withdraw the Philippine ships from the West Philippine Sea./PN
