Locsin apologizes to de Lima for derogatory tweet
Published Jan 26, 2020 12:00 am
By Roy Mabasa
Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. has apologized to Sen. Leila De Lima for referring to her as “fat lady” in one of his tweets on Friday concerning the importance being accorded to her by some United States senators compared to the mutual defense pact of the two countries.
Foreign Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr.
(AP Photo / Sakchai Lalit / File Photo / MANILA BULLETIN) “Correction with apology. ‘If the US regards a lady who should be happy to have her day…’ An honest slip of the finger. Anyway, she’s admirable in her feistiness. Others guilty or innocent would have thrown in the towel but she won’t. She’s a lady of quality in that respect,” Locsin said on his social media post on Friday. Locsin made the apology after posting the following remarks on Twitter earlier in the day: “If the US regards a fat lady who should be happy to have her day in court to clear her name of charges – charges a Supreme Court of honor law graduates ruled twice as valid (as opposed to US senators merely elected) – as more important than our mutual defense well then so be it.” On the same day, Locsin flew to Washington, D.C. where he is expected to deliver a letter notifying the American side of President Rodrigo Duterte’s intent to abrogate the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA). “I as chair of the Visiting Forces will merely send a note signed by me because the authority was transferred to the Secretary of Foreign Affairs. Simple. I am leaving tonight for Washington and New York on another matter,” the DFA secretary twitted on Friday. Last week, President Rodrigo Duterte said in a speech before New People’s Army (NPA) rebel returnees in Leyte that he would give notice to Washington abrogating the Visiting Forces Agreement if the US will not reinstate the canceled visa of Sen. Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa. Dela Rosa was Duterte’s first PNP chief prior to being elected to Senate. READ MORE: Duterte orders termination of VFA Dela Rosa was tagged as one of the chief architects of the bloody war-on-drugs campaign by the Duterte administration, a reason the senator believed why the US government canceled his visa. READ MORE: ‘Birthday gift’: Sen. Bato confirms his US visa has been canceled Locsin, who is known for his expletives and name-calling in his social media posting, earlier described the President’s threat to scuttle the VFA a “good move”. “Good move. Visas fall under US Justice Department in the Executive Branch. Either they’re serious about US-PH military alliance or not,” he said. Last month, President Donald Trump signed the US government’s $1.4-trillion 2020 budget, which included a provision that allows the Secretary of the State to bar Philippine officials from entering the US if he has “credible information” that they were involved in the “wrongful imprisonment” of De Lima. READ MORE: Trump signs bill which includes visa ban on officials involved in De Lima detention In response, President Duterte ordered the Bureau of Immigration to bar United States Senators Dick Durbin and Patrick Leahy from entering the Philippines.
Foreign Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr.(AP Photo / Sakchai Lalit / File Photo / MANILA BULLETIN) “Correction with apology. ‘If the US regards a lady who should be happy to have her day…’ An honest slip of the finger. Anyway, she’s admirable in her feistiness. Others guilty or innocent would have thrown in the towel but she won’t. She’s a lady of quality in that respect,” Locsin said on his social media post on Friday. Locsin made the apology after posting the following remarks on Twitter earlier in the day: “If the US regards a fat lady who should be happy to have her day in court to clear her name of charges – charges a Supreme Court of honor law graduates ruled twice as valid (as opposed to US senators merely elected) – as more important than our mutual defense well then so be it.” On the same day, Locsin flew to Washington, D.C. where he is expected to deliver a letter notifying the American side of President Rodrigo Duterte’s intent to abrogate the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA). “I as chair of the Visiting Forces will merely send a note signed by me because the authority was transferred to the Secretary of Foreign Affairs. Simple. I am leaving tonight for Washington and New York on another matter,” the DFA secretary twitted on Friday. Last week, President Rodrigo Duterte said in a speech before New People’s Army (NPA) rebel returnees in Leyte that he would give notice to Washington abrogating the Visiting Forces Agreement if the US will not reinstate the canceled visa of Sen. Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa. Dela Rosa was Duterte’s first PNP chief prior to being elected to Senate. READ MORE: Duterte orders termination of VFA Dela Rosa was tagged as one of the chief architects of the bloody war-on-drugs campaign by the Duterte administration, a reason the senator believed why the US government canceled his visa. READ MORE: ‘Birthday gift’: Sen. Bato confirms his US visa has been canceled Locsin, who is known for his expletives and name-calling in his social media posting, earlier described the President’s threat to scuttle the VFA a “good move”. “Good move. Visas fall under US Justice Department in the Executive Branch. Either they’re serious about US-PH military alliance or not,” he said. Last month, President Donald Trump signed the US government’s $1.4-trillion 2020 budget, which included a provision that allows the Secretary of the State to bar Philippine officials from entering the US if he has “credible information” that they were involved in the “wrongful imprisonment” of De Lima. READ MORE: Trump signs bill which includes visa ban on officials involved in De Lima detention In response, President Duterte ordered the Bureau of Immigration to bar United States Senators Dick Durbin and Patrick Leahy from entering the Philippines.