Cayetano: I’ll quit if PH loses territory to China

Foreign Affairs Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano INQUIRER file photo

Foreign Affairs Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano on Monday vowed to quit his post and leave public service if it could proven that the Philippines lost part of its territory during the administration of President Rodrigo Duterte.

Cayetano challenged his critics to point out which part of the West Philippine Sea had been lost to China.

“I challenge anyone of them, whatever their profession – justice, politician, newsman, journalist – if we lost a single island during Duterte’s time, I will pack my bags, go home,” Cayetano said in a mix of English and Fililipino at the flag-raising ceremony at the Department of Foreign Affairs.

“I will not serve the public in any elected or appointed position. But are you willing to do the same?” he added. “Are you willing to face this administration, and show us which island feature or inch, square-inch we lost during Duterte’s time?”

Cayetano’s statement comes amid a barrage of criticisms on DFA’s supposed silence on China’s “creeping invasion” in disputed areas of the South China Sea. /atm