Misunderstood, misinterpreted

MANILA, Philippines - I am writing to you concerning an article, which appeared in your publication recently and which was brought to my attention earlier this week. In the version which I received, the headline read, “Aquino gov’t vindictive against Arroyo, says EIAS.” It is attributed to Pia Lee-Brago.

The article begins with the sentence, “The Aquino administration is being vindictive in its treatment of former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo which could result in a damaged democracy, according to an executive of a policy think tank.” The article then identifies me as the EIAS executive in question.

I should like to point out that at no time did I either say or infer that the administration of President Aquino was being vindictive in its treatment of Mrs. Gloria Arroyo.

Pia Lee-Brago visited EIAS on Tuesday, 22nd November, as part of a group of journalists from Burma/Myanmar and the Philippines, hosted by the European Commission in Brussels. As part of their tour of the European Institutions and other bodies, the journalists visited EIAS for a briefing and exchange of views. I was invited to speak to them and was accompanied by two of my colleagues.

Towards the end of this meeting, which had covered the work of EIAS, EU-ASEAN relations and the EU’s bilateral relations with Burma/Myanmar and the Philippines, I was asked a question about the way in which Mrs. Arroyo was being treated. I replied that I was not familiar with this case. I was then given some details. While I did not comment on the case involving Mrs. Arroyo, I did make some general remarks about the nature of democracy. In particular, I said that it was not healthy for democratic stability if an incoming government deliberately persecuted and humiliated its predecessor and that there had to be a reasonable degree of mutual respect between both government and opposition. I also said that there were cases where governments did not always play according to the rules and that, where the law was broken, it was normal that justice should take its course. I referred to cases of this both in Asia and in Europe. However, at no time did I relate this general consideration to the specific case of Mrs. Arroyo. Indeed, I had earlier remarked that, as far as Europe was concerned, the Philippines was “on the side of the angels” when it came to democracy. My two colleagues have confirmed this. Clearly, Pia Lee-Brago either misunderstood or misinterpreted my remarks.

I note that, while several references to what I was supposed to have said were put in quotation marks and I recognize some of these, the main statement about the Aquino administration being vindictive against Mrs. Arroyo was not put in quotation marks and obviously for a good reason — because I did not say that.

I should be grateful if you could rectify this matter.

With kind regards.