Knowing that the Philippines is a country of Catholic , it is very unacceptable to legalize drug use and abortion, which are in contrary to the doctrines of the Church.
He described relations between the Philippines and the 28-member bloc as “rocky” and on a “roller coaster.”
"They want abortion to be legalized here. That’s the condition of some countries like the Netherlands,” said Cayetano. He also stated that he knew about their demands on the Netherlands while attending the periodic review of the United Nations human rights council in Geneva, Switzerland on the Philippines’ rights record.
Cayetano headed the participants from the Executive and Legislative branches that safeguarded the drug war of the Duterte administration.
“They want to legalize the possession of drugs for personal use. How can that be accepted here, what will you do with money when you have so many addicts. Their demands are not in the grants, but we have to read between the lines,” he said.
Sec. Cayetano will be meeting EU ambassador to the Philippines Franz Jessen after accompanying the President’s official visit to Russia next week.
The newly appointed secretary said, “The ball is actually in the hands of EU to tell us that there are no strings attached and that the money is for humanitarian help. Second, that they will not interfere with our internal affairs. Third, we want to hear from them that they support our law and order campaign. They have been saying that, but once they see that somebody is killed, they will say it is not rule of law. What do they want to see, policemen being killed?”
One thing is clear, and that is the government is drawing the red line on foreign nations interventions and augment the independent foreign policy of the President.
Cayetano cited that China and Japan gave grants without restrictive conditions.
The EU laid on the table 325 million euros as financial assistance until 2020, for development programs to be usein t helping poor families in Muslim Mindanao. Jessen, in said the grants were planned to advance employment and agriculture.
On May 14, the government sent a rejection letter to Jessen informing him that the Philippines would not accept aid, throwing out the conditions attached to the grants.
Source: Manila Times
