Here we go again
with the US being the last?
Enter the president's men. According to National Security Adviser Hermogenes Esperon Jr., the president only meant that it will be the last for the year, and not the last ever. That's his take on what Duterte said in Hanoi. But when DFA Sec. Yasay was asked, who by the way was apparently sitting on stage when Duterte was giving his usual profanity-laced speech, he said he did not hear Duterte say he was putting an end to US-PH war games.
Perhaps he already took the advice of Sec. Diokno not to listen to the "noise." Or was he just plain not listening to the speech of his boss. Nonetheless, Yasay goes on to say that we have standing treaties with the US that will go beyond Duterte's term, and that the President just cannot abrogate them.
So we now have two cabinet secretaries trying to explain on behalf of Duterte's latest pronouncements concerning the US. I guess we will have to wait again for further explanations, clarifications, even rebukes for once again misinterpreting Dutertes's statements, which are actually very clear. I mean, he said this would be the last, and that China doesn't want them. He is also warming up to China and Russia. Can't get any clearer than that.