Some 15 senators and 10 House lawmakers have crossed party lines in pushing back against what they described as increasingly aggressive and undiplomatic public statements by the Chinese Embassy in Manila.
Under Senate Resolution No. 256, the senators slammed the language used by a Chinese embassy official against lawmakers and other Philippine officials as “contrary to accepted standards of diplomatic conduct and mutual respect between states.”
The resolution also called on the Department of Foreign Affairs to take the necessary diplomatic measures to ensure that relations with other states are conducted in accordance with international law and established principles of state relations.
It was signed by Senate President Vicente Sotto III, Francis Pangilinan, Panfilo Lacson, Juan Miguel Zubiri, Erwin Tulfo, Risa Hontiveros, Raffy Tulfo, Sherwin Gatchalian, Loren Legarda, Joseph Victor Ejercito, Bam Aquino, Camille Villar, Mark Villar, Jinggoy Estrada, and Lito Lapid.
In the House of Representatives, minority lawmakers filed House Resolution 680 on Tuesday, calling on the Executive Branch, particularly the DFA, to adopt stronger measures in response to Chinese embassy remarks.
These include the filing of formal diplomatic protests, summoning the Chinese ambassador, and, if warranted, declaring certain embassy officials persona non grata for conduct deemed improper and inconsistent with diplomatic norms, the resolution read.
“They have no right to belittle, insult and abuse our officials. We will not allow the fact that while they are spreading lies about us, we will remain silent,” said House Deputy Minority Leader Leila de Lima.
“Just as we defend the West Philippine Sea (WPS), we must resist such acts and instead move to defend our officers who only stand by what is true and what is worthy of the dignity of our country,” she added.
De Lima of the Mamamayang Liberal party-list filed the resolution along with Liberal Party lawmakers Reps. Edgar Erice (Caloocan City), Adrian Amatong (Zamboanga del Norte), Arlene Bag-ao (Dinagat Islands), Jaime Fresnedi (Muntinlupa City), Krisel Lagman (Albay), and Alfonso Umali Jr. (Oriental Mindoro), as well as Akbayan party-list lawmakers Chel Diokno, Percival Cendaña and Dadah Kiram Ismula.
Tulfo, in his own privilege speech, strongly rebuked the Chinese Embassy over its comments on freedom of expression and its warning that Philippine officials would face consequences for statements related to the West Philippine Sea.
He said foreign representatives have no authority to dictate the limits of speech in the Philippines and maintained that Filipino officials were exercising their mandate in speaking out on issues of sovereignty.
“If they do not like how democracy works in our country, the answer is clear: leave. This is our house. They are not our bosses, and we are not their servants,” Tulfo said.
“We do not take lessons on democracy from a government that jails critics. We do not take lectures on free speech from a system that suppresses it,” Tulfo added.
The House resolution also cited a pattern of public statements and social media posts that lawmakers said employ disparaging and inflammatory language, go beyond legitimate expressions of a foreign state’s position, and undermine the principles of mutual respect and non-interference.
The DFA earlier raised “serious concern” and lodged “firm representations” with Chinese Ambassador Jing Quan over the “escalation of public exchanges” between the Chinese Embassy in Manila and Filipino officials.
For her part, Palace Press Officer Claire Castro said the President has given clear instructions to government agencies to assert Philippine interests and sovereignty.
“The President himself has said that he will not surrender even a square inch of our territory,” Castro said Monday.
“So, whatever the agencies are doing in pushing for the interest of the country, that’s the President’s order. But we will remain diplomatic,” she said.
Assistant Director General Cornelio Valencia Jr., National Security Council spokesperson, said the “recent pattern of public statements” made by the Chinese Embassy was “undiplomatic and uncalled for.”
“The Philippines is a democracy governed by the rule of law. Public officials, spokespersons, and institutions are mandated to inform the Filipino people of developments affecting national security, including activities in the West Philippine Sea. This responsibility does not require approval from any foreign government,” Valencia said.
As this developed, the Philippine Navy said the number of Chinese vessels spotted in the WPS increased over the past week compared to the first week of January.
Philippine Navy spokesperson for WPS Rear Admiral Roy Vincent Trinidad said from January 18 to 25 this year, a total of 55 Chinese vessels, including warships, have been monitored.
The figure is higher compared to the 41 Chinese vessels recorded during the first week of January.
For the first time in nearly a year, China’s largest coast guard cutter was also seen in WPS.
The so-called “monster ship” — CCG vessel with hull number 5901– passed around 40 nautical miles off Itbayat town in Batanes on Sunday, according to maritime monitor SeaLight.
“It spent just a brief time off Batanes before turning back west,” SeaLight director Ray Powell said.
As of Tuesday morning, CCG 5901, which was last spotted off Panatag Shoal in February last year, was already “nearly” back at Hainan Island, he said.
