Appoint lone spokesperson on shoal dispute, Palace urged

Muntinlupa Representative Rodolfo Biazon. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines – The House committee on national defense and security chairman, Muntinlupa Representative Rodolfo Biazon, on Thursday urged President Benigno Aquino III to appoint a lone spokesperson on issues concerning the disputes on the Scarborough Shoal.

The former Armed Forces of the Philippines chief of staff said that he recently filed a resolution urging Malacañang to designate a spokesperson for the issue to avoid conflicting comments on heated topics, particularly the country’s territory dispute with China.

Biazon said he observed how at times having several spokespersons releasing different statements further confused the public on what the Malacañang’s stand on a certain issue was.

He also said that it did not help that even officials from the Department of Foreign Affairs, Department of National Defense, and the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council had varying statements on the disputed area.

Biazon vowed to push for his resolution once the House of Representatives resumes its work by July for its third regular session.