Ikinadismaya ni House Committee on Overseas Workers Welfare Affairs Chair Ron Salo ang isang social media post ni Ambassador Teddy Locsin Jr.
Sa isang tweet noong October 21 na ngayon ay burado na, sinabi ni Locsin na dapat patayin ang mga batang Palestino dahil maaari lamang silang maloko at lumaki na may pagpanig sa grupong Hamas.
Ayon kay Salo, bagamat malaki ang pag-respeto kay Locsin, ang naturang pahayag o opinyon ay hindi katanggap-tanggap
“I fully respect Ambassador Teddy Locsin, Jr.’s personal opinion on the Palestine people, including children, and of our Muslim brothers and sisters, no matter how savage, appalling and needlessly provocative. For a man of his stature – a respected journalist, former Congressman, former Secretary of Foreign Affairs, and now Ambassador to the United Kingdom, and special envoy to China – such opinion, though, is incomprehensible.” sabi ni Salo.
Bilang isang high ranking official ng ating gobyerno, ang mga ganitong pahayag aniya ay iresponsable at posible pang magdulot ng dagdag na tensyon at galit laban sa Palestinians at mga kapatid nating Muslim sa Pilipinas at iba pang panig ng mundo.
Bagamat humingi na rin aniya ng paumanhin si Ambassador Locsin at nilinaw na ‘sarcastic response’ lamang ang naturang pahayag—posible ring madamay aniya dito ang iba pang Filipino diplomats at mga OFW lalo na sa Middle East dahil baka isipin na ganito rin ang kanilang opinyon o saloobin.
“While Ambassador Locsin has apologized and stated it was a “sarcastic response,” his social media post may be perceived as the official stand of the Philippine government. Worse, it jeopardizes our Filipino diplomats particularly in the Middle East who may be perceived as sharing his opinion. Worst, it endangers the lives of our already vulnerable kababayans scattered all over the world, mostly concentrated in Muslim countries, which do not share the Ambassador’s sarcasm, no matter how witty or amusing he thinks he appears.” sabi pa ni Salo.
Hinimok naman ng Kabayan party-list solon ang Department of Foreign Affairs na maglabas ng official statement para dumistansya o itatwa ang naging pahayag ng embahador.
“With all the challenges, troubles and suffering our OFWs are facing, the last thing we want is to add fuel to the fire. And it is regrettable that such instigation is coming from no less than a Philippine ambassador. For the peace and safety of our kababayans and OFWs, particularly those located in the crisis areas and Muslim countries, I urge the Department of Foreign Affairs to immediately issue a statement disavowing, if not denouncing, Ambassador Locsin’s social media post.” dagdag ng mambabatas. | ulat ni Kathleen Jean Forbes
