MANILA, Philippines – Nilinaw ng Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) ngayong Miyerkules na hindi kabilang ang Pilipinas sa blacklist ng Frace dahil sa foreign aid fraud.
Inihayag ni DFA Secretary Albert Del Rosario na pinabulaanan ng French Foreign Minister na kasama ang Pilipinas sa mga "non-cooperative states" sa imbestigasyon ng foreign aid fraud.
"On the news that France blacklisted the Philippines over foreign aid fraud, I have sought clarification with the French Government and have been officially advised that this information is totally inaccurate," sabi ni Del Rosario.
"A full denial of this misinformation has been made by the French Foreign Minister. With relevance to the aforementioned blacklist, we have in fact been informed that there is a new list and this list does not include the Philippines," dagdag ng hepe ng DFA.
Aniya nagsimula ang pagkakamali sa isang panayam ng Pranses na pahayagan sa isang civil servant.
Nakasaad sa ulat na gumawa ng listahan ang France ng 17 bandang hindi nakikipagtulungan sa pag-iimbestiga ng foreign aid fraud, kaya ipinagbabawal nila na gamitin ang kanilang mga banko.
Kasama sa mga umano'y blacklisted ng France ang: Botswana, Brunei, Nauru, Guatemala Philippines, Switzerland, Lebanon, Panama, Costa Rica, the United Arab Emirates, Dominica, Liberia, Trinidad and Tobago, at Vanuatu.
Sinabi ng iaang opisyal ng Palasyo kahapon na nakakagulat ang pagka-blacklist ng Pilipinas dahil wala man lamang itong babala
“We’re trying to get a better handle on what it really is. I understand that we’re working with them (French government) on the finance side, on several initiatives, and it seems nothing of that sort was discussed,†sabi ni Deputy Presidential Spokesperson Abigail Valte.