‘SELECTIVE SILENCE’
A former spokesperson of then Vice President Leni Robredo has criticized Vice President Sara Duterte’s silence on the recent attacks by China against Filipino fishermen and troops in the West Philippine Sea (WPS) while she continues to meddle in national issues outside of her jurisdiction.
Former Akbayan Rep. Barry Gutierrez said Duterte, who is concurrent Education Secretary, was quick to issue statements on the case of embattled SMNI anchors Lorraine Badoy and Jeffrey “Ka Eric” Celis, but is wanting in criticizing China for its attacks and encroachment in the WPS.
“That Sara Duterte sees fit to immediately issue a statement on Badoy and Celis, but remains completely silent on China harassing Filipinos in the WPS, tells us all we need to know about her priorities as a public official,” Gutierrez, also a former spokesperson of then Vice President Leni Robredo, said.
Gutierrez added that Duterte was also vocal in her opposition to President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos’s policy decisions such as studying the possibility of the country’s re-entry to the International Criminal Court (ICC) and his decision to restart the peace negotiations with communist rebels.
“May DepEd Secretary tayong sumasawsaw sa lahat PWERA edukasyon: ICC, peace talks, ribbon cutting, bundok, China anniv,” he said, alluding to Duterte’s video message on the China anniversary, even speaking in Chinese.
“Kung di niya type – o kaya – ang trabaho sa DepEd, baka dapat bitawan na niya. Baka naman may opening pa sa SMNI,” former Akbayan Rep. Barry Gutierrez said of Sara Duterte.
The country, he said, is in a deep education crisis, a problem that Duterte should be focusing all her energy on.
“Maraming problema ang kinakaharap ng sektor ng edukasyon ng ating bansa, mula sa kakulangan sa guro, imprastraktura at learning materials hanggang sa effectivity ng curriculum ng pampublikong paaralan,” Gutierrez said.
“Base sa ulat ng World Bank nitong 2023, 9 out of 10 sa mga Pilipinong mag-aaral sa edad ng sampung taong gulang ay kulang ang kakayahan sa pagbabasa. Patunay ito na nasa isang matinding education crisis ang ating bansa,” he added.
Duterte’s meddling in issues outside of her responsibility as Education Secretary is reneging on her duty to the Filipino people.
“Ang kanyang pakikisawsaw sa mga isyu na labas na sa kanyang responsibilidad katulad ng pag-allow sa International Criminal Court na mag-imbestiga, pagsasagawa ng peace talks sa pagitan ng gobyerno at ng communist rebels, pakikialam sa foreign relation sa pamamagitan ng pangunguna sa pagbati sa anibersaryo ng China at mga pagsasagawa ng ribbon cutting sa mga pribadong kumpanya ay sadyang nakakabahala,” Gutierrez declared.