Gordon refuses to apologize to Thai envoy over statement on crisis

MANILA, Philippines - Senator Richard Gordon on Wednesday refused to apologize to Thailand's ambassador to the Philippines, saying his statement on Thailand's political unrest was “merely blown out of proportion.” In an article posted on the Senate website, Gordon said he never described the Thais as “politically immature.” He also maintained that he did not say anything that could be taken as an insult. "I would never think that the Thais are politically immature. I would never, far be it from my mind, to say that they are politically immature. They have been misinformed," he said. "What I said was that we in the Philippines should always keep national interest foremost in our minds, especially with regard to charter change. We should move carefully on this issue because it is a combustible issue," he said. Earlier, Thailand’s Ambassador to the Philippines Kulkumut Singhara Na Ayudhaya protested the official statements of Gordon and deputy presidential spokesperson Anthony Golez on the political turmoil in Thailand. The Philippine officials' statements allegedly implied that the political turmoil in Thailand reflects the Thai people's lack of political maturity. Gordon said it was not his intention to brand the Thais “politically immature,” but he added that even if he said so, there is nothing wrong with it since the Philippines is a free country. “Assuming for the sake of argument that I did say that the Thais are politically immature, this is a free country and every citizen is entitled to an opinion,” he said. Gordon stressed that he has high regard for Thai people because they have always been an expert in diplomacy and have never been colonized by anybody. - Aie Balagtas See, GMANews.TV