ITINANGGI ni Pangulong Rodrigo Duterte na sisibakin na niya sa puwesto si Foreign Affairs Secretary Perfecto Yasay matapos naman kumalat ang tsismis na siya ay tatanggalin na sa puwesto.
“I’d like to arrest a few rumors going around that Secretary Yasay of the Dept of Foreign Affairs is on his way out. I would like to assure the secretary that he is in good company and there is no truth to the rumor that there is plan for his ouster. Far from it actually,” sabi ni Duterte sa isang ipinalabas na video message ng Malacanang.
Idinagdag ni Duterte na nais niyang ipaalam sa buong Pilipinas na personal siyang nagmakaawa kay Yasay para sumali sa gobyerno.
“Actually, Sec. Yasay accepted the position on the condition that he will only serve for a few months, not even a year because he has this contractual obligations to teach, professiorial chair in the most, well most of the universities in the western side maybe California, Hawaii and somewhere else,” ayon pa kay Duterte.
Nauna nang binatikos si Yasay sa kanyag malambot na posisyon matapos ilabas ang desisyon ng United Nations (UN) Tribunal ma pumapabor sa Pilipinas kaugnay ng West Philippine Sea.
“So let me just douse cold water on the rumor and arrest the circulating, it’s not good. Yasay speaks for me. Everything that he says in public, both national and international comes from my guidance. He has my backing and full support. And I said I have placed my entire trust in him to take care as being the spokesman for our foreign affairs. Thats why he is there. Sana po matapos na yang haka haka,” ayon pa kay Duterte.