There was nothing wrong with the decision of President Rodrigo Duterte to bring along retiring military and police officials in his trip to Israel this September, Malacañang said on Tuesday.
Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said it was a “gesture of appreciation” from the President to include military and police officials in the presidential trip.
Duterte, in a speech on Monday, said he would bring retiring military officials and police to his historic trip to Israel as a “gift” for their service to the country.
However, Sen. Panfilo Lacson, in a statement on Tuesday, said, “every official presidential trip abroad must have a purpose better than just being a gift to anyone in government.”
Roque responded to Lacson by saying the trip was more than just a gift.
“But obviously, for security personnel, a trip to Israel would entail collaborating and mingling with security forces of Israel in order for our men in uniform form the experience of Israel particularly in the drive against extremism and terrorism,” Roque said in a Palace briefing.
Roque said there was “nothing wrong” with bringing military and police officials to Israel. “I think strengthening security cooperation is one of the matters that would really be discussed in the middle east as well,” he said.
The Palace official said the government would shoulder the cost of the officials. “Pagkakaalam ko po ngayon, they are still active members of the military so it would be the government who would spend for it,” he said. /vvp