MANILA – President Rodrigo Duterte refused to go into a battle of wits against retired Supreme Court Senior Associate Justice Antonio Carpio over the West Philippine Sea issue.
Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque asserted that Duterte is ready for the much-awaited battle, but several Cabinet members including Senate President Vicente Sotto III and Sen. Aquilino Pimentel III discouraged him.
Roque was instead tapped to represent Duterte and argue with Carpio on whether the Philippines may enforce the 2016 ruling of the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague in favor of the country.
Duterte was deterred to engage in the debate since it will not be beneficial to the Filipinos, and whatever he says could affect public policy and may be covered by executive privilege.
“Nakaupong Presidente naman si Presidente Duterte at si Atty. Carpio naman po, bagama’t siya’y dating mahistrado, ay ordinaryong abogado na ngayon. Parang hindi naman po ata tabla na ang Presidente mismo ang haharap sa ordinaryong mambabatas,” Roque stressed on Friday.
The spokesperson, meanwhile, said he is ready to face Carpio and urged the Philippine Bar Association – which volunteered to host the event – to name the time and the venue.
On Wednesday, Durterte challenged Carpio to have an oral argument regarding who was responsible for losing the parts of the resource-rich waterway to China.
Carpio – who is the founder of the opposition party 1Sambayan – accepted the offer on Thursday and dared the Chief Executive to tender his resignation./PN
