TULUYAN nang winakasan ng China’s Foreign Ministry ang usapin hinggil sa lumabas na mga isyung paghingi umano ng asylum ni dating pangulong Rodrigo Roa Duterte sa gobyerno ng China.

Sa ibinahaging report ng Chinese Embassy sa Maynila, itinanggi ng China na naghain ng asylum sa kanila ang dating pangulong na ngayo’y nakadetine pa sa Netherlands.

Ayon kay Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun: “We have never received the so-called application for asylum to the Chinese government from former president Rodrigo Duterte or his family.”

Sabi pa ni Guo: “The Commissioner’s Office of China’s Foreign Ministry in the Hong Kong SAR has made a response on Mr. Rodrigo Duterte’s visit to Hong Kong. Relevant personnel in the Philippines also made remarks on that. Let me point out in particular that Mr. Duterte’s visit to Hong Kong was a private vacation trip.”

Nagpaalala rin sa mga mamamahayag ang tagapagsalita: “We hope people from the media can be careful about the so-called ‘information from sources’, either unfounded or ill-motivated, and do not easily believe what they hear.”

Wala umanong katotohanan ang lumabas na ulat na nag-apply ng asylum ang dating pangulo noong ito ay nagtungo sa Hong Kong subalit tinanggihan ito ng China.

(JESSE KABEL RUIZ)