Gordon On ‘Breaking Ties’ With US
Senator Richard Gordon has recently reacted on the pronouncements made by President Rodrigo Duterte of threatening to break ties with the long-time ally, the United States, and said that it is “wrong”.
In a report by Inquirer, Gordon called the attention of the President regarding his statements that seemed to be coming to end the long-time relationship between the Philippines and the United States.
Duterte, who has flown to China for a visit, seemed to be courting the favor of China, the Philippines’ rival in the West Philippine Sea dispute.
Gordon expressed his disagreement with the statements of the Duterte regarding the matter of cutting the US-Philippines ties.
“I don’t agree with that. I think the President is wrong on that matter,” he said as quoted. “You don’t have to leave your old friends that have been reliable, and not be totally be reliable just because you want to get a few things. That’s short-sightedness,” Gordon added.
According to the Senator, in the Senate, he would advise Duterte ‘as a friend, not an ally’ by telling him that what he is doing is ‘wrong’ and that the senator disagrees with him on that matter.
Meanwhile, the President has already thrown some ‘colorful words’ on the US, its biggest defense partner and seemed to be preferring the support from China and Russia.
Another thing is that Duterte already threatened that the joint military exercises with the Americans would be ended but not the defense treaties.
Gordon claimed that there is a group of US congressional staffers who went to his office last Tuesday to clarify that policy of the new administration and replied to them to not worry and just “look at the acta (acts) not the verba (words).”
“[I told them] this one is different. He is venting hurt feelings, but that doesn’t mean that’s policy,” Gordon said referring to Duterte’s remembrance of the bad things that the US has brought to the Philippines for its 48 years of occupation.
Gordon also said that the US should not that the Philippines for granted.
“I told them, ‘You treat us fairly. You treat us with respect. I agree with the President that you have neglected the Philippines. Treat us not as primus inter pares or first among equals,’” Gordon said.