Roque criticizes Del Rosario for lament on Duterte's scrap of paper remark

Presidential spokesman Harry Roque on Friday criticized Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario for accusing President Rodrigo Duterte of siding with China on the issue of the West Philippine Sea.

Del Rosario has lamented Duterte's characterization of the 2016 arbitral ruling as a scrap of paper, stressing the decision was "valid and binding" and must be enforced against China.

"It is, therefore, a national tragedy that the President of the Philippines takes the side of China and believes that the arbitral ruling is a scrap of paper meant to be thrown in the waste basket, to the severe prejudice of the Filipino people," Del Rosario said.

He said it was Duterte's constitutional duty to protect the West Philippine Sea and enforce the arbitral ruling.

“Sir, it’s you who gave away the Scarborough (Shoal) to China when you ordered the Coast Guard to withdraw when there was a standoff in that area,” Roque said.

“Stop the finger-pointing. The buck stops with you. You’re the reason why we lost the Scarborough Shoal.”

Duterte has suggested an investigation into del Rosario’s role over the withdrawal of Philippine forces during the 2012 Scarborough Shoal standoff, a pronouncement backed by Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr.

Roque said Duterte was standing by the arbitration ruling, which upheld the Philippines’ sovereign rights in the West Philippine Sea and invalidated China’s sweeping maritime claims. —NB, GMA News