Aquino blamed for Trillanes China blunder

From: manilastandardtoday.com

Opposition congressmen yesterday slammed President Aquino for allowing Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV to serve as ‘backdoor’ negotiator to China, even as Palace sources said Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario had warned the president against tapping Trillanes as negotiator,, but was ignored

House Minority Leader and Quezon Rep. Danilo Suarez, Zambales Rep. Milagros Magsaysay, Siquior Orlando Fua, Maguindanao Rep. Simeon Datumanong and Rodolfo Albano were one in saying that in matters of conflict or issues involving foreign policy, the Secretary of Foreign Affairs should be the point man in carrying out the president’s initiatives in averting a diplomatic crisis.

Magsaysay said that the blame should fall on President Aquino, who should explain to the people why he allowed a senator to go to China and do the negotiations without proper guidance from foreign affairs officials.

“The buck stops with the President.  And clearly, the diplomatic misadventures of Sen. Trillanes is the handiwork of Malacanang,” Magsaysay said.

Suarez said that what Trillanes did was a slap on the face of del Rosario. He added that it demeaned the stature and credibility of the DFA chief, whose main task was to formulate and implement the government’s foreign affairs policies.

Magsaysay said that Trillanes does not have the credential, background or the position to carry out a mission that only torpedoed the government’s diplomatic initiatives.

“No well meaning government with a clear and focused diplomatic policy would ever commit such a monumental blunder,” Magsaysay said###