By Genalyn Kabiling

United States President Donald Trump must present evidence if he alleges China could be responsible for the coronavirus pandemic, a Palace official said Monday.

Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said that Trump must prove his allegation about China. He said the Philippines government affirms the principle of accountability of countries and their responsibility to fulfill international obligations.

“Nakasaad naman sa larangan ng international law na ang estado na mayroong nilabag na tungkulin sa international law ay dapat managot. Ang issue nga lang pati si Presidente Trump hindi naman sigurado kung mayroon ginawa ang China na magiging isang paglabag sa kanyang obligasyon sa larangan ng international law (Under international law, any state that violates international obligation must be held accountable. The only issue is even President Trump is not sure if China committed a violation to his obligation under the international law),” Roque said during a Palace press briefing Monday.

“He himself is unsure pero siyempre kung aakusahan niya ang China na mayroon paglabag, kinakailangan siya ay magbigay ng pruweba (but of course if he will accuse China committed a violation, he must show proof),” he added.

Trump recently said China should face consequences if it was knowingly responsible for the outbreak of the new coronavirus disease. The US leader, in his recent White house briefing, said the coronavirus could have been stopped in China before it started “and it wasn’t, and the whole world is suffering because of it.”

Trump also announced that his government is probing whether the virus had spread after a supposed accident in a Chinese laboratory in Wuhan. The US government earlier accused China of a lack of transparency after the coronavirus broke out late last year in Wuhan and has left more than 165,000 dead around the world.

Roque said he has no information if the issue on China was raised during the phone conversation between President Duterte and Trump Sunday night.

He said all he knows is the two leaders discussed bilateral cooperation in addressing the coronavirus pandemic. He did not elaborate.

President Duterte previously expressed support for China and even defended that it should not be blamed for the pandemic. “Hindi naman nila kasalanan galing ‘yung — (It is not their fault that it came from…) Who would really want to invent a microbe to kill humankind pati ‘yung iyo? (including your own),” he said in his public remarks last week.

According to the President, Chinese President Xi Jinping sent him a note expressing gratitude to the Philippine government for helping fight the stigma directed at his country during the pandemic. The Chinese leader also expressed support for the Philippines in the face of the public health emergency.

Owing to the Philippines’ friendship and close ties with the Asian giant, Duterte said the country may get priority if China discovers a treatment for the coronavirus.