Leni Robredo is one lucky lady to have Senator Kiko Pangilinan protecting her like she’s a child.
Robredo, on her radio show Biserbisyong Leni, had questioned Foreign Affairs Secretary Teddy Boy Locsin for his decision to cancel all “courtesy diplomatic passports (red passport)” issued to former or retired public officials.
The Vice President protested Locsin’s move which came in the wake of former Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario’s exclusion from entry in Hong Kong, the former British colony ceded to the People’s Republic of China in 1997.
Having failed or deliberately refused to acknowledge that the incident caused yet another embarrassment to the Philippine government, Locsin tweeted Robredo’s tantrums and called her “boba.” The DFA boss apologized shortly after.
According to the former DFA chief Perfecto Yasay, there happened to be a DFA regulation issued in 1993 that courtesy diplomatic passport can be issued to former Presidents, Vice Presidents, former DFA secretaries, and former diplomats.
However, in 1998 a law was passed in Congress stating that only former Presidents and Vice-Presidents will be issued courtesy diplomatic passports after their term of office.
I would’ve called her “tanga” which we all know means the same thing as “boba,” and I would’ve readily apologized just the same. Ain’t no way to treat a lady, I agree.
Referring to Robredo as “inosente” might have sounded rather more acceptable to Sen. Pangilinan, the great advocate of juvenile justice of rather than “ignorante” or “tanga.”
In disrespecting the VP who’s a duly-elected like President Duterte, Kiko insists that Locsin be held accountable for “putting the country at risk and shame.”
Has Secretary Locsin, in fact, put our nation in greater danger by calling Robredo “boba” than Del Rosario and former Ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales already did in badmouthing Chinese President Xi Jinping for alleged “crimes against humanity before the International Court?”
That’s precisely why Del Rosario and Morales were blacklisted and barred from admission in China. It’s their stupid propaganda ploy against Xi Jinping.
The 79-year-old Del Rosario proved wily as ever when he used his “revalidated” diplomatic passport in trying to sneak in Hong Kong, misrepresenting himself as if he’s on official government business. He must know fully well that any country has the right to refuse entry of any alien without having to explain why.
Did Del Rosario underestimate the intelligence of the Chinese authorities? Now, can the Liberals and their supporters blame the Chinese authorities for suspecting they intended to either spy or mount their black propaganda against Beijing right inside its territory?
That would not certainly sit well with Xi Jinping, would it?
Kiko is probably worried, too, that Robredo may not be issued a courtesy red passport in case she loses her 2016 poll vote-recount to ex-senator Bongbong Marcos.
Just in case, do DFA current rules then provide for the issuance or revalidation of the red passport even to former “fake Vice President” , as some people would put it, or not?
That I’ve to check with Secretary Locsin.