DAVAO CITY, Philippines — There is no reason for Department of Foreign Affair (DFA) Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano to step down from his post amid the diplomatic spat between the Philippines and Kuwait.
Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque in yesterday’s press briefing said Cayetano should address the call among lawmakers for him to resign.
Some lawmakers want Cayetano to resign, after the controversial video showing embassy employees “rescued” distressed workers without properly coordinating with the Kuwaiti officials.
The same video provoked the government the Kuwaiti government, claiming among others the breach of diplomatic protocol and the he Philippines violated the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations .
During the Palace briefing yesterday, Roque stressed “That call is addressed to Secretary Cayetano. He should address it. As far as the Palace is concerned, there is no reason for him to resign.”
Roque believed that Cayetano still has the full trust and confidence of President Rodrigo R. Duterte.
Senate President Pro-Tempore Ralph Recto said Thursday, there is no enough reason for Cayetano to resign, “Why should Alan resign? His men rescued two Filipinas in distress. He didn’t bomb a country, nor did he invade another,” Recto said in a statement.
“Yes, it was improper to officially upload the video, but it is equally wrong to equate it as a major diplomatic faux pas that would warrant his resignation,” Recto added.
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“And I think that what we have in Kuwait is something that can be overcome eventually…sooner or later,” he said.
Some lawmakers and groups have called for Cayetano’s resignation after Kuwait expelled Philippine Ambassador Renato Villa and recalled its ambassador to Manila Musaed Saleh Ahmad Althwaihk.
He said Cayetano is now investigating one of his people who released the video to the media.
But some reports blamed Cayetano’s own social media team for irresponsibly uploading the video, which further stretched the spat between Philippines and Kuwait.
Roque said Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III will lead an “assessment mission” to Kuwait.
Reports also have it, Cayetano and Bello had a shouting match inside Malacañang over the controversial video.-Editha Z. Caduaya/ Newsline .ph with report from PNA
