PNoy GAGS TRILLANES, DEL ROSARIO / PALACE: TRILLANES ASKED
FOR CHINA JOB
MANILA, SEPTEMBER 24, 2012 (GMA NEWS) PATRICIA DENISE
CHIU, GMA News - President Benigno Aquino III has asked Foreign Affairs
Secretary Albert del Rosario and Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV to refrain from
making further statements regarding their alleged rift in connection with the
territorial dispute with China.
"I suppose the point of view of the President is: Does it help solve the
issue if a party keeps on talking," said presidential spokesperson Edwin
Lacierda at a press briefing in Malacañang on Thursday.
"That's the reason why the President has asked both parties to refrain from
making any statements," he added
Trillanes had reportedly belittled Del Rosario's efforts in resolving the
conflict with China during his backroom negotiations with Chinese officials in
July — a move that put the neophyte senator in the center of controversy.
In a short statement Wednesday, Del Rosario maintained that the department
"executes the foreign policy that is mandated by our President."
"We must not be distracted by those who want to divide our country and there
must be one policy and one team to promote our national interest," he said.
In a heated argument on Wednesday, Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile called
Trillanes a fraud for allegedly undermining the Philippines' interest in his
backchannel talks with Chinese authorities regarding the Panatag (Scarborough)
Shoal. Reading from the notes of Philippine Ambassador to China Sonia Brady,
Enrile revealed that Trillanes said the Philippines "does not care about the
Panatag Shoal."
Lacierda cited the sensitivity of the country's territorial dispute with
China as reason why Aquino implored the two to refrain from making comments on
the matter.
"The reason why the President is silent is because, rather than engage media
first, he would like to speak to both Secretary del Rosario and Senator
Trillanes," he said.
"I think that's the most decent thing to do, na kausapin muna 'yung mga taong
concerned bago siya magsasalita sa media. And I think that's a modicum of
decency on our part," he added.
On Trillanes' claim that he has a right to speak as senator of the Republic,
Lacierda said: "The position taken by Senator Trillanes is that he is a senator
of the Republic. We respect that."
However, Trillanes should help resolve the issue more privately, Lacierda
added. — KBK, GMA News
Palace: Trillanes asked for China job By PATRICIA
DENISE CHIU, GMA News September 19, 2012 3:43pm
Contrary to statements made by Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV that he was
sent by President Aquino to lead backchannel negotiations with China, a Palace
official said Wednesday that it was the other way around, with Trillanes asking
for the job.
"The President was approached by Senator Trillanes [to say that] 'there's a
way forward to hold these things," presidential spokesperson Edwin Lacierda told
reporters in a briefing.
"This was during the height of the tensions between China and the Philippines
and the President said 'let's keep our options open,'" Lacierda added, saying
the President agreed to Trillanes' proposition.
Lacierda, however, declined to elaborate on the exact nature of Trillanes'
role as 'special envoy.'
Trillanes: I did not volunteer for the mission
But in an interview with reporters on Wednesday, Trillanes denied asking for
the assignment. "That's definitely not the case," he said.
He explained that he was in Malacañang sometime in May for a social gathering
when Executive Secretry Paquito Ochoa brought up the issue.
"Sometime in May nagkausap po kami ni Executive Secretary Ochoa at lumabas sa
conversation namin 'yung situation noon sa Scarborough at nagtanong siya kung
baka pwede raw ako tumulong. So sabi ko sige," he said.
"Nung nag-official visit naman ako last year (sa China) we were able to
initiate some or make some contacts so sabi ko sige open up lang namin yun pero
sabi ko kailangan ko authorization from the President. So in that sense, hindi
mo masasabing nag-volunteer or nilapitan, nagkataon na lumabas yun sa
conversation namin at that time," he said.
He also clarified that he does not have any disagreements with Foreign
Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario.
"The President, through the DFA, is still the source of foreign policy in the
country. Ako po I was just tasked to help deescalate yung situation sa
Scarborough noong Mayo at yung ngayong improved situation natin is a result nung
collective effort nung lahat ng involved," he said, adding Aquino has always
been calling the shots.
Trillanes said he had communicated with eight different people through three
different channels during his mission. "Let's just say they were high enough to
make things happen," he said.
Confidential mission
Earlier in a radio interview, Trillanes said he was assigned the backdoor
mission by the President himself.
"I got into this mission as an envoy of the President... so confidential
mission [ito]," Trillanes told dzBB in a radio interview.
Trillanes, a former Navy officer who faced rebellion and coup d' etat charges
during the Arroyo administration, got his temporary freedom in December 2010
during the first months of the Aquino administration.
He had been in jail since the July 2003 Oakwood mutiny, but won a Senate seat
during the 2007 polls. In January 2011, he applied for amnesty, which was
approved the same month.
Enrile surprised Trillanes' role has baffled even Senate President Juan Ponce
Enrile, who said he was surprised upon seeing Trillanes in a Cabinet meeting
last July regarding the territorial dispute with China.
"I just learned about it when I was invited in Malacañang during a Cabinet
meeting, when he (Trillanes) was making a report for the Cabinet and he was
making complaints against the Department of Foreign Affairs," he said.
"I was surprised to see him there," Enrile admitted.
In a privilege speech Wednesday, Trillanes accused Enrile of being a lackey
of former President and incumbent Pampanga Rep. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. He then
announced that he is bolting out from the Senate majority bloc.
Trillanes also walked out of the session hall when Enrile began to answer his
allegation.
'Minor successes'
Lacierda said Trillanes' efforts have resulted in "some minor successes," but
declined to elaborate on the details of these gains.
On the fate of Trillanes as backchannel negotiator, Lacierda said, "The
President will still talk to him about this."
At the same press briefing, Lacierda stressed that Foreign Secretary Albert
del Rosario continues to enjoy the trust and confidence of the President, and
remains on top of negotiations with China.
"So, if you're asking me: Does the Secretary of Foreign Affairs have the
trust and confidence of the President? I can say that categorically," Lacierda
said.
At the same time, Lacierda said Del Rosario was informed of Trillanes' role.
Meanwhile, responding to questions on whether China might view the presence
of Trillanes as backdoor negotiator as divisive, and if Trillanes' coming out in
the open diminishes the legitimacy of Del Rosario as negotiator, Lacierda said
it was immaterial since at the end of the day, the chief policy maker remains
the President.
"The situation there is that the Secretary of Foreign Affairs gets his
marching orders from the President. The position taken by the secretary of
Foreign Affairs is also the same position taken by the President. So, it is
irrelevant how China views Secretary Del Rosario because the policymaker, the
chief policymaker is the President," Lacierda said. — with
Kimberly Jane Tan/RSJ/KBK, GMA News
Chief News Editor: Sol Jose Vanzi
© Copyright, 2012 by PHILIPPINE HEADLINE NEWS ONLINE
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