Former Makati City Rep. Teodoro “Teddyboy” Locsin Jr. has agreed to join the Duterte administration and represent the country in a world body.
Locsin, a lawyer and a journalist, has been appointed the country’s new permanent representative to the United Nations, according to Presidential Communications Secretary Martin Andanar.
Andanar said Locsin accepted the ambassadorial post offered by President Duterte during their meeting at his official residence in Manila.
“The former Congressman Teddyboy Locsin and I were in touch again last night and he said they indeed met at Bahay Parangap. Cong. Locsin said he accepted the position as UN Ambassador,” Andanar said in a message to Palace reporters.
Rumors circulated last Saturday that Locsin was being eyed as the country’s new ambassador to the UN, replacing Lourdes Ortiz Yparraguirre. At the time, the Palace did not confirm the appointment and opted to wait for Locsin’s statement on the matter.
Locsin’s appointment comes amid the President’s strained relationship with the United Nations after getting flak for the drug-related killings in the country.
Malacañang has called on the UN to follow the protocol on reporte-d plans to investigate alleged extrajudicial killings in the country.
Presidential Communications Secretary Martin Andanar said they would appreciate if the UN would course its planned probe into the country’s situation through existing rules, not just through the media. (Genalyn D. Kabiling)
