The Philippines is committed to stick to its “consistent" policy of being a friend to all and an enemy to none in dealing with other nations, Malacañang said Thursday.
(CAMILLE ANTE / MANILA BULLETIN FILE PHOTO)
In the wake of criticisms raised by a former high court justice about the alleged lack of a coherent foreign policy, Presidential spokesman Harry Roque asserted that the government will continue to put the national interest first.
"On the contrary, the President has been consistent in espousing an independent foreign policy," he said during a televised press briefing Thursday.
"We will promote the national interest first and foremost, and we will be friends to everyone and enemies to no one," he added.
Retired Supreme Court Senior Associate Justice Antonio Carpio reportedly said there was a "total absence of coherence" in the administration's foreign policy, citing its alleged flip-flopping pronouncements on the United States and China.
Carpio, in a recent forum, questioned the President's changing stance in foreign policy, particularly the recent pardon of US serviceman convicted of killing Jennifer Laude and suspension of the termination of the visiting forces agreement with the United States.
Roque, however, dispelled allegations that Duterte relied on "knee-jerk reactions" in granting pardon to US Marine Joseph Scott Pemberton and terminating the VFA but only to postponing it for months later.
"Well, I have given my personal opinion on the basis of everything that I have heard from the President - it is for a higher national interest," he said.
Pemberton has returned back to the United States after the President pardoned him over supposedly getting unfair treatment from authorities. Duterte said the US soldier was entitled to "good character presumption" after authorities failed to record his behavior while in detention.
A local court earlier allowed the early release of Pemberton due to good behavior but the Laude family and the justice department opposed the move. They have questioned the reduced prison term of Pemberton over good conductive time allowance.
Roque said the President's decision to terminate the VFA stays although it has been initially suspended for six months. The suspension of the VFA abrogation is renewable for another six months.