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By APD Writer Melo M. Acuna
MANILA, Otc.13 (APD) - President Rodrigo Roa Duterte accused the European Union of meddling into the Philippines domestic affairs and threatened to expel ambassadors from the European Union in 24 hours beginning yesterday.
President Duterte, in his fiery speech, during a press event at Malacanang yesterday afternoon said Europe was plotting to get the Philippines removed from the United Nations though he cited no evidence nor document in his possession.
A seven-member delegation from the Progressive Alliance and Party of European Socialists visited Manila and called on the government to stop the killings and efforts to silence persons who dissent.
It was learned that the delegation and the European Union made no derogatory remarks as it was the New York-based Human Rights Watch which made the warning of possible sanctions from the United Nations Human Rights Council and not the United Nations.
The EU spokesperson in Manila said in a statement “The recent visit of the of the ‘International Delegates of the Progressive Alliance’ to the Philippines on 8-9 October was not a ‘European Union mission’, as falsely reported by some media outlets.”
It was learned the seven-member delegation consisted of representatives from Sweden, Germany, Italy, Australia and the United States.
The Progressive Alliance was founded in 2013 and has brought together parties, groups and associations worldwide.
“The EU and the Philippines work constructively and productively together in a close relationship in many contexts and areas, including, of course, in the UN context,” the EU statement said.
It described the cooperation as wide-ranging which include trade, “where this year the Philippines made extraordinary progress on its exports to the EU.”
“The European Union was not part of the organization or planning of that visit – neither the Delegation of the European Union in the Philippines nor the European Union institutions in Brussels,” the statement further clarified.
The EU Office in Manila said the statements made by the delegation from the Progressive Alliance during its visit to the Philippines were made solely on behalf of the Progressive Alliance and do not represent the position of the European Union.
A source at the EU office in Manila said they have been operating and functioning normally and will continue with its comitment to working constructively and productively with the Philippines for the people’s benefit.
Some sectors said President Duterte may have been received some wrong information which led to his fiery speech.
Police claimed to have killed 3,850 in legitimate operations over the past 15 months of relentless campaign against illegal drugs, a centerpiece program of the widely-popular President Duterte.
(ASIA PACIFIC DAILY)
