IN THE wake of a diplomatic row with Kuwait, diplomats are being asked to sign a statement of support for Foreign Affairs Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano, a foreign affairs insider said Thursday.
In an interview, the Department of Foreign Affairs insider said that Cayetano is already playing the game of “divide and conquer” by promoting his favorite career diplomats and giving a hard time to those who have “questionable loyalty.”
“Cayetano is asking for a loyalty check by asking career officers to sign a statement in support of his leadership,” the insider said.
“I have no plans of signing, but it sill exposes all of us to a witch-hunt even though we had nothing to do with that fake Unifos [Union for Foreign Service Officers] statement,” the insider added.
The “loyalty check” came after a letter to the Office of the President was leaked to the media asking President Rodrigo Duterte for Cayetano’s resignation due to his gross incompetence that led to the diplomatic row with Kuwait.
The letter was confirmed by a high-ranking diplomats saying that except for his “closest associates and friends,” majority of diplomats want Cayetano out of the office, citing how he weakened the DFA’s role, responsibility, and accountability in foreign policy making and execution.
In an interview, a high-ranking official who spoke on condition of anonymity, said that the decision to release and publicize the video showed Cayetano’s “weakness in the command and control protocol,” and that out of delicadeza, he should instead resign.“Cayetano being booted out, I think the mood is yes, except for his closest associates and friends,” the source said, confirming that some diplomats have written a letter to the Office of the President calling for him to step down.
The source said majority of the people in the DFA were “frustrated and demoralized.”
The insider said that Cayetano’s closest associates and friends were now on their with-hunt for the principal suspect behind the letter.
“The letter is clear proof of conflict and demoralization within the DFA,” the insider said.
Another source shrugged off the loyalty check, calling it “a cheap trick.”
Cayetano said that he would “happily” step down from his post if Duterte asks him to.
He said that during the arrival of former Philippine Ambassador to Kuwait Renato Villa, who was expelled and declared persona non grata by the Kuwaiti government after videos of embassy personnel rescuing Filipino workers circulated on the internet.
“If the President tells me to go, I will go happily and I will continue to support him. If a majority in the DFA (Department of Foreign Affairs) says we cannot follow you, I have no business being there,” Cayetano told reporters Wednesday night at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport.
“But so far, I’ve had meetings with them, they understand. They might not agree with our decisions, but they understand. So the calls are normal, it’s politics but I think you can judge whether this last year we stepped up or we’ve slacked off in taking care of the concerns of our OFWs,” he added.
The DFA, in a statement, earlier disputed a newspaper report which claimed that career diplomats want Cayetano to quit, saying the alleged call does not represent the views of the “entire Foreign Service Corps.”
In the Palace, Presidential Spokesman Harry Roque said Cayetano, and Tourism Secretary Wanda Tulfo-Teo—both embroiled in controversies—continue to enjoy the President’s full trust and confidence.
“The two Cabinet members stay at their posts. Why would they resign?” Roque said in a press briefing, dousing speculation that two were on their way out.
However, Roque confirmed that the Office of the President is now looking into the P60-million ad placement by the Department of Tourism in a TV show produced and hosted by Teo’s brothers, Ben and Erwin Tulfo.
Roque said Teo has denied involvement in placing the ads in her brothers’ show, a deal the Commission on Audit questioned.
The Tulfos were considered close allies of President Duterte who supported the former Davao mayor in the election campaign.
“The President has had to deal with the closest of his allies. The President lets them go if it’s proven that they are involved in graft and corruption,” Roque said.
The Palace spokesperson also reminded the public of the President’s track record when it comes to allegations of graft and corruption involving members of his administration.
“He has a track record of what he does when reports reach him and he’s convinced of these reports. Let’s wait for his final action,” Roque said.
Roque said Cayetano “still has the full trust and confidence of the President, and I think what we have in Kuwait is something that can be overcome eventually… sooner or later.”
Senate President Pro Tempore Ralph Recto said there is no need for Cayetano to resign over the Kuwait fiasco.
“Why should Alan resign? His men rescued two Filipinas in distress. He didn’t bomb a country, nor did he invade another,” said Recto.
At a time when countries use might to enforce their will, he noted that the worst that the rescue inflicted was a pinprick on diplomatic niceties.
While admitting that it was improper to officially upload the video, Recro said it is equally wrong to equate it as a major diplomatic faux pas that would warrant his resignation.
In pursuing our nation’s interests, he said Cayetano has mastered the art of stepping on toes – with the other person thinking that he is playing footsies.
“But there are times when he and his men have to kick down some doors, especially if these block the path to freedom for our compatriots.”
He said aggressive defense of abused countrymen is no vice; it is a virtue. When thousands of our OFWS await repatriation, when thousands of them have sought sanctuaries from abuse, when almost 5,000 of them are behind bars or facing charges, some audacity in representing them is needed.
The Akbayan party-list on Thursday slammed Teo for “turning government into a family business.”
Machris Cabreros, Akbayan party president, demanded Teo to resign over the controversy of a P60- million ad placement on the television program of her brothers Erwin and Ben on PTV4, “Kilos Pronto,” without a contract.
Teo also earned the wrath of Akbayan after her admission that her husband, Robert Teo, was a board member of the Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority.
“Teo and the Tulfo brothers have turned government into their family business,” she said.
“The Tulfos like to claim that they are tough against corruption but this scandal shows that they might have been lining their pockets all along at the public’s expense. Teo needs to resign and be held accountable for this scandal,” she said.
Robert Teo is not only a board member of TIEZA but also a member of six of its committees, she said.
Wanda Teo is the chairperson of TIEZA, she added.
“What’s next? Will the Teo family move in to the Department of Tourism office and make it their home?” she asked.
Akbayan questioned Teo for her failure to explain the conflict of interest in specifying the contract for the ads to air on her brothers’ show.