MANILA - After he was rejected as foreign affairs chief by the Commission on Appointments, Perfecto Yasay Jr. maintained that he did not lie about his citizenship.

“For the record I did not a lie in responding to the issues raised against me before the CA contrary to what my partisan political detractors have claimed in the pursuit of their interest or agenda. I am at peace with everything that I said, and I leave it to God - my refuge and my strength - to judge me on that score,” he said in a Facebook post Thursday.

Yasay said he “faithfully” did his duties and responsibilities as a government official and that he has left his fate to God.

Lawmakers on Wednesday rejected Yasay's appointment after he was pressed for answers over his flip-flopping statements regarding his US citizenship.

Yasay said he was granted US citizenship in November 1986 that was “null and void” because he returned to Manila after the People Power Revolution. He had apologized to lawmakers for “inadvertently” misleading them on questions over his citizenship.

“I may not have pleased everyone in what I did or did not do. But who ever said that serving the country was about getting everyone to agree with you,” Yasay said.

The former foreign affairs chief also made light of the situation by saying he now has more time to spend on his “favorite” things such as being with his family and getting a haircut.

Yasay called on the public to direct their support to President Rodrigo Duterte.

“For now we must all remember that our president, Mayor Duterte, who is singularly tasked with the greatest and most complex and difficult duty of all, needs the support of all our people, who must act together to achieve our national goals as one nation under one flag,” he said.

“I know that God has even greater plans for me and he is not done with me yet,” he added.

Duterte on Thursday designated Foreign Affairs undersecretary Enrique Manalo as acting head of the department, replacing Yasay.