Vote for politicians who will be good for the Philippines, not China — Del Rosario

The Filipino people should vote for politicians who will be good for the Philippines and not for China in the upcoming elections, former Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert Del Rosario said Tuesday afternoon.

Del Rosario issued the remark after President Rodrigo Duterte threatened to file charges against him following his claims that the Chinese interfered in the 2016 elections to ensure Duterte’s victory.

“For this coming election, our humble view is our people should vote for the candidate who is good for our country—and not one who is good for China,” Del Rosario said in a statement.

On July 12, Del Rosario said that they obtained information “from a most reliable international entity that high officials in China are bragging that they had been able to influence the 2016 Philippine elections.”

During his weekly televised briefing on Monday, Duterte said 16 million Filipinos voted for him and that six million was his majority.

"Sixteen million makuha ba ng tulong sa ibang bayan? Sixteen million mabili mo..? Sixteen million plus voted, six million of that was my majority over your friend," Duterte said Monday.

The President previously claimed that disputes over the West Philippine Sea are not a reason to be “rude and disrespectful” to China, which he called the Philippines’ “benefactor.”

Duterte also said that he never vowed to retake the Philippine features in the disputed waters during his 2016 presidential campaign.

However, he said at the time that he would personally go to the disputed territory to jetski and plant the Philippine flag should China refuse to honor the Philippine’s tribunal win.

He later said that he was just exaggerating. — BM, GMA News