Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. on Friday said his plan to file a diplomatic protest against Turkey was “aborted” after a “swift response” from Turkish Ambassador to Manila Artemiz Sumer.
Locsin’s decision not to pursue with the protest came hours after he announced over Twitter that he will be filing diplomatic protest against Turkey and eventually severe diplomatic relations with Ankara if the latter will not repudiate alleged report that its government met with officials of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) without the knowledge and imprimatur of the Philippine government.
“There’s nothing to clear up. A sovereign state has only one armed forces and one ministry of foreign affairs to handle all foreign matters. All. Tens of thousands of Filipino soldiers gave their lives in Mindanao for that principle,” the DFA secretary said in a subsequent clarificatory post.
Earlier, Locsin said they are also studying the filing of charges against the unnamed BARMM officials.
“Filing a diplomatic protest against Turkey; studying charges vs BARMM officials involved. If not repudiated by Ankara NOW I propose breaking diplomatic relations. A slap at Philippine sovereignty and an attack on our territorial unity and integrity. Reek$ of a $ellout,” the DFA secretary said in his social media post. (Roy C. Mabasa)
