LP solon scores Yasay over ‘destab plot’ claim 

A member of the Liberal Party (LP) on Wednesday hit Foreign Affairs Secretary Perfecto Yasay Jr. for linking questions about his citizenship to an alleged destabilization plot against President Rodrigo Duterte. 

Occidental Mindoro Rep. Josephine Ramirez-Sato, LP secretary general, took exception on Yasay’s earlier statements as she was the member of the Commission on Appointments (CA) who scrutinized the Cabinet official’s citizenship issues during the first confirmation hearing held last month. 

“It pains me that anything and everything that cannot be answered will be attributed to the destabilization plot,” Sato said.

Yasay apologized to the CA, saying he was not referring to any member of the bicameral appointments body, but to news reports supposedly meant to “embarrass” him.

“[Reports were] not only to embarrass me but also to embarrass the appointing authority and maybe this is part of the destabilization effort,” Yasay referring to President Rodrigo Duterte. 

“I was referring to those from the outside trying to question my citizenship within this commission,” he added.

Senator Francis “Kiko” Pagilinan, LP president, said Yasay should submit his proof on any attempts to destabilize the Duterte administration, if he has any. — RSJ, GMA News