Senators support having ex-President Duterte as backchannel envoy to China

Senate Majority Leader Joel Villanueva and Deputy Majority Leader Joseph Victor Ejercito supported having former President Rodrigo Duterte hold backchannel talks with China, given Duterte's “access” and “friendship” with Chinese President Xi Jinping.

“Why not? [Ýung] access n’ya doon sa China, sa pangulo ng China, talagang he could be the right person to talk [with them] para ma-ease itong tension na nararamdaman doon sa West Philippine Sea,” Villanueva told reporters.

“More so, to make sure na bukas pa rin ang communication natin. Kasi at the end of the day, hindi naman tayo dapat talagang nagpapadalos-dalos. Ngunit, sa isang banda, hindi rin tayo magpapdarag at hindi rin tayo basta-basta na lamang tatanggapin na pwede tayo batuk-batukan doon sa sarili nating teritoryo.”

Villanueva added he sincerely believed that Duterte could help “because of his access and he is being respected in China.”

Ejercito echoed Villanueva's view that there was a need to maintain lines of communication with China amid the situation in the WPS, and Senator Alan Peter Cayetano's suggestion that Duterte be made a special envoy to China.

“Yes, that would be a good suggestion na gawin siyang special envoy to China. Ang importante kasi dito lines are open e kahit na hindi tayo nagkakaintindihan ngayon,” Ejercito said.

“It’s an open book na talaga namang mas malapit siya sa China… I think President Duterte--siya po ay dating president, naging kaibigan siya ng China… I would agree that President Duterte would make a good special envoy to China regarding the West Philippine Sea issue,” he added.

On Thursday, Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri also expressed openness to making Duterte a special envoy.

“Why not? Anyone who can help diplomacy in this part of the world, in this economic zone of ours, exclusive economic zone, would be a big help,” Zubiri said.

“It could be former President Rodrigo Roa Duterte. It could also be Alan. Why not Senator Alan as well to help in the back channeling since he’s quite close to some of the officials there being the former Secretary of Foreign Affairs?” he added.

Senator Bong Go, Duterte’s former special assistant, also welcomed the idea of having Duterte talk with China.

“I agree with Senator Cayetano. Meron siyang magandang relasyon, maganda po ang kaniyang relationship with the leadership of the Chinese government, si President Xi,” said Go.

“Magkaibigan po sila, magkakaintindihan sila at madali silang mag-usap,” he added.

On Thursday, Zubiri, citing information from President “Bongbong” Marcos Jr., disclosed that Duterte had asked the Chinese president to “look kindly to the Philippines” on the issue of the WPS.

Duterte went to Malacañang last Wednesday to talk to Marcos about his recent meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping in China.

Duterte on July 17 met Xi in Beijing just days after the Philippines commemorated the seventh anniversary of the arbitral ruling which upheld the country's exclusive economic zone in the West Philippine Sea over China's massive claims.

Xi was reported to have asked Duterte to continue promoting cooperation between the two countries.

"I hope you will continue to play an important role in the friendly cooperation (between China and the Philippines)," state media quoted Xi as saying during a meeting at the Diaoyutai state guest-house in Beijing.

"During your tenure as president of the Philippines, you had resolutely made the strategic choice to improve relations with China in an attitude of being responsible to the people and to history," Xi told Duterte.

Asked to comment on Duterte's meeting with Xi, Marcos said he was aware of the former President's trip to China and welcomed any new line of communication with the Asian power amid issues in the South China Sea.

Marcos added that he was certain Duterte would inform the Philippine government of the details of his conversation with Chinese President Xi Jinping and how it could affect the country. — DVM, GMA Integrated News