Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, January 10) — Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. confronted on Friday a group of protesters outside the Department of Foreign Affairs office, even taunting them with words: “O sige, bugbugin niyo ako.”
[Translation: Okay, beat me up.]
In a video posted by the College Editors Guild of the Philippines, Locsin was seen facing protesters in front of the DFA building as they demanded that the government lay down its plans following the order for the repatriation of overseas Filipino workers from Iraq amid tensions between the United States and Iran.
Locsin was also seen attempting to grab the microphone which the protesters were using in the middle of their mobilization. When the protest leader refused to give him the microphone, a visibly irked Locsin walked away but came back to talk to a television reporter in front of the rally.
The protesters were chanting “Save our OFWs! No to War in Middle East!” when Locsin tried to talk to them.
The Foreign Affairs Secretary quickly took to social media his side of the story, as if mocking the dialogue that had transpired between the two parties.
“I shouted with a fist, ‘Duterte!!’ Silence. So I tried it again, this time shouting, Makibaka!’ Nothing. So I tried, ‘Bugbugin niyo ako,’ Still nothing. No wonder the insurgency is getting nowhere. Trump is asking since when was I the US Commander in Chief who can stop a war,” Locsin said on Twitter.
The government on Wednesday ordered all Filipinos in Iraq, Iran and Lebanon to return to the Philippines after Alert Leve 4, the highest threat alert, was raised in those countries. It later downgraded the alert level in Lebanon and Iran, but mandatory repatriation of Filipinos from Iraq remains in effect.
A special working committee was created to draw up measures for the repatriation of Filipinos. Aside from Locsin, others included in the group are Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana, Interior Chief Eduardo Año, National Security Adviser Hermogenes Esperon, Labor Chief Silvestre Bello III, and Transportation head Arthur Tugade.
President Rodrigo Duterte instructed concerned government agencies to prepare for back up plans for those who will be displaced due to the conflict.
