Senator Richard Gordon. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO/ MARIANNE BERMUDEZ
It would be wrong for the Philippines to cut its ties with the Americans just because of the gains that the country expects to get from China, Senator Richard Gordon said on Thursday.
“I don’t agree with that. I think the President is wrong on that matter,” Gordon said of President Rodrigo Duterte, who had reportedly indicated that it was time to cut ties with the United States, a longtime ally of the Philippines.
READ: ‘Time to say goodbye,’ Duterte tells US during visit to China
“We don’t have to leave your old friends that had been reliable, may not be totally reliable, just because you want to get a few things. That’s shortsightedness,” he said.
Gordon, who is part of the majority bloc in the Senate, said the Philippines should pursue an independent foreign policy without being beholden to anyone.
The President, he said, should also keep in mind the best interest of the country whenever he negotiates with other nations.
“In a sense, tama si Justice Carpio (Justice Carpio is right),” Gordon said, referring to Senior Associate Justice Antonio Carpio, who had reportedly raised the possibility that Duterte could be impeached if he gives up the Philippine’s claim over the Scarborough Shoal.
READ: Words can hurt country, Carpio warns Duterte
“I agree with him (Carpio) but I don’t think that he can be impeached right away kasi call nya (Duterte) yun e (because it’s his call). Sya ang political officer ng bayan, sya ang naggagawa ng policy (He is the political officer of the nation, he makes the policy).”
“Pero it’s also incumbent upon us in the Senate na payuhan bilang kaibigan, not as an ally, bilang kaibigan na sabihin sa kanya na: ‘Boss, huwag kang magalit, kung magalit ka wala tayo magagawa pero mali yang ginagawa mo (But it’s also incumbent upon us in the Senate to advise him as a friend, not as an ally, to tell him: “Boss, don’t get mad, if you get mad, there’s nothing we can do about it but what you’re doing is wrong).’ And I disagree him on that,” the senator added.
Asked why the President could not be impeached right away, Gordon said: “Unang-una, mahirap mag impeach e. Pangalawa, pabayaan natin tingnan natin, wala pa namang nangyayari e (First of all, it’s difficult to impeach. Second, let’s wait for now, nothing has happened yet).”
The senator added that he was “not for impeachment.”
After all, Gordon agreed with the President that the US had taken for granted the Philippines.
And he said expressed this opinion when some congressional staff from the US came to his office early this week.
“I told them that you treat us fairly. You treat us with respect. I agree with the President, napabayaan ang Pilipinas (the Philippines had been taken for granted )…” he said.
Gordon said his American visitors were “very concern” about the Philippine policy but he advised them not to look at the pronouncements but at the actions of the President.
“Ibang klase ito e, inilalabas nya (Duterte) yung sama nya ng loob. Hindi nangangahulugan na ito na yung policy (He is a different kind, he expresses his dissatisfaction. It doesn’t mean that it is the policy),” the senator added. RAM