Duterte: Philippines’ vote on Israel’s actions in Gaza made without consultation

President Rodrigo Duterte said Wednesday that the Philippines' vote in favor of the United Nations probe into Israel's actions in the Gaza Strip was apparently made without his go-ahead.

"Bong, si Bong Medialdea, ayusin muna natin ito, ano ba itong boto natin sa UN na pina-withdraw? Iyong sa Israel," the Duterte said, referring to Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea in the middle of the ceremony held in the Palace for the signing of four bills into law.

[Let us fix this first. What is this vote by us at the UN that we are being asked to withdraw? The one on Israel.]

The President made queries on the situation after he mentioned that he was about to attend the exit call of Israel's envoy to the Philippines.

"Sino ba may alam diyan? [Who knows something about this?] What was that ruckus about? Our representative voted without consulting the home government," Duterte added.

The live video feed was cut at this point.

Israel's Foreign Ministry summoned Philippine Ambassador to Israel Macairog Alberto almost two weeks ago “for clarification discussion at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs following the Philippines’ vote at the Human Rights Council in favor of the establishment of an investigative committee against Israel over events surrounding Operation Guardian of the Walls.”

Asked about the incident, Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said the Philippines stands by its vote in favor of UN probe on Israelis. 

“The President does not micromanage. Although he is the chief architect of foreign policy, the way our delegation votes in the UN, UN Human Rights Council...he leaves that to the Philippine delegation,” Roque said on June 3.

“Our delegation has a record of being consistent in voting in favor of the rights of the Palestine citizens to have a state, in the same way that we supported Israelis when the state of Israel was formed, and so we defer to the decision of our Department of Foreign Affairs,” he added. — BM, GMA News