Carpio Accepts Duterte’s Challenge for Debate; Dares President to Resign

Carpio: “President Duterte should now resign immediately to keep his word of honor.”

ANTONIO CARPIO – The retired Supreme Court justice accepted the challenge raised by President Rodrigo Duterte for a debate amid issues of the West Philippine Sea.

In a statement, Carpio said: “On President Duterte’s challenge to debate with me on the West Philippine Sea issue: I gladly accept the challenge anytime at the President’s convenience.”

During the late-night speech of the president on Wednesday, May 5, Carpio became the subject of Duterte.

The president quoted: “Supreme Court justice, pareho man tayo abugado. Gusto – eh gusto mo mag-debate tayo?”

“Nag-file sila ng kaso, nanalo tayo. ‘Yang papel, sa totoong buhay, between nations, ‘yang papel, wala ‘yan,” he added.

The retired Supreme Court justice and former foreign affairs secretary Albert del Rosario were also accused by Duterte of being involved in the withdrawal of Navy ships from the West Philippine Sea way back year 2016.

Duterte stressed that he would resign from his post as the country’s president if he was proven to be lying.

“Ngayon, kung ako ‘yong nagsisinungaling, mag-resign ako bukas kaagad. Iyan ang garantiya ko sa inyo,” he said.

Carpio for his part said that “President Duterte should now resign immediately to keep his word of honor.”

“I state under oath that I was never involved in the decision to withdraw Philippine Navy ships from the West Philippine Sea during the 2012 Scarborough standoff,” he noted.

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