Statement of Senator Loren Legarda on Back Channel Negotiations with China

“THE HIGH ORDER OF THE DAY IS NATIONAL INTEREST. WE ARE ONE NATION WITH ONE VOICE AND AS SUCH, IT IS BEST THAT I WITHHOLD COMMENT ON THE ISSUE.”
“My role as a legislator is one of enacting policies. The executive branch is responsible for administering our policies. We exercise oversight to a certain extent on key policy implementation mechanisms. In the exercise of that role, we can, to a certain extent, provide inputs and insights in the implementation of certain policies. I will leave it at that.”
“I have high confidence and respect for Secretary Del Rosario. He is doing a difficult job and his efforts are well appreciated, I am sure, by many Filipinos. At the end of the day, there is only one team that addresses issues of foreign policy and that is Team Philippines headed by the President, with the able support of the DFA.”