How Andanar interpreted Duterte’s statement on PH-US ‘separation’

“I, in this venue, your honors, in this venue, I announce my separation from the United States both in military — not in social — both in military but economic.”

That was the original statement from President Rodrigo Duterte when he addressed the audience in Beijing during his recently concluding visit to his new best friend: China. (Sorry, Russia.)

Understably, people started losing their sh*t with Duterte’s announcement about the Philippines separating itself from the United States, but some are just keeping their cool, waiting for the “interpretation” from the president’s lackeys in Malacañang Palace.

On Fri (Oct 21), Presidential Communications Office (PCO) Secretary Martin Andanar delivered his own version of the president’s statement, saying that the PH’s separation from the US is more like a son being weaned from his father rather than a divorce.

“Separation is not an annulment. It’s not a divorce. It’s like a father and a son and the son has to leave the house, and the son has to marry and move to a different house. Parang ganoon lang iyon (It’s just like that),” Andanar said in a GMA News report.

“The United States was a father to us for a long time. It’s but timely already for us to move out of that house, and secure our own house, and decide for ourselves,” Andanar explained, although some Cabinet members are saying the US should stop treating us as their “little brown brother.”

Andanar says the Philippines is only looking for more room and independence to do business with the rest of Asia and the world, but the administration is bent on maintaining PH’s amicable relationship with other countries.

According to Andanar, the government is moving to level the playing field where we will serve “no master [but] the Filipinos.”

Andanar said, “We have good relations with China. Soon, we’re going to have good relations with Russia. And we have good relations with Japan. We’ve had good relations with the United States, with UK, and other countries… Kung baga (In a way) it’s [a] level playing field.”