President Marcos thumbed down the idea of entering into a secret agreement with any country, saying all dealings with other nations should be made public to hold officials accountable.

Marcos said this as he continued to question what he called a “secret agreement” between former president Rodrigo Duterte and Chinese President Xi Jinping, which the Chinese Embassy in Manila confirmed was made during the previous administration.

In an interview with Manila-based reporters in Washington, D.C. on Friday, April 12, the President said he would not enter into any kind of secret agreement with China or any other country.

“I will not enter into [a secret agreement]. I will not. I disagree with that idea that you entered into a secret agreement,” he said.

“You know, you have any secret, any agreement with another sovereign state should really be known by the people,” he added.

According to Marcos, all Filipinos must be made aware of any dealings so that the leader who made it could be made accountable.

“[It] should be known by the Senate. Because the treaty is to be ratified by the Senate. It should be known by all the local officials. It should be known by everyone. That way… you are accountable,” he said.

“If it’s a bad decision, you’re accountable. Sabihin n’yo, mali 'yung ginawa ninyo. ‘Di ba? (Admit that you were wrong. Right?)… What are you hiding? Why was it secret?” he added.

Not an enemy

Despite this, President Marcos does not think former president Duterte is his enemy but urged him to lay off the ad hominem attacks. Ad hominem is a fallacy wherein a person directs his attacks or arguments against someone instead of their policy.

Marcos said this in response to Duterte’s tirades that the latter was a “crybaby” who always sought the help of the US following the joint naval drills with the US, Japan, and Australia in the South China Sea last week.

“I don’t consider him a political enemy. It takes two to tango. I don’t consider him a political enemy,” he said.

“You know to be a crybaby, you have to cry. Did you see me cry? I don’t pay any attention to that. I really don’t. That means absolutely nothing to me,” he added.

The President said that Duterte, as a lawyer, should know that such attacks do not have a place in serious discussions such as the alleged secret agreement the latter made with China.

“He should know that ad hominem attacks like that are really have no place in this kind of this very important and very precarious discussion,” he said.