Reckless decisions on China row must be avoided – Palace

MANILA, Philippines — Malacañang won’t stop lawmakers from issuing resolutions against China’s ambassador even as it cited the need to avoid reckless decisions in the face of the tense exchanges between the Chinese embassy and some Philippine officials.

“If you are angry, you cannot think properly although our feelings are valid. We have countrymen in China we have to protect. Our President does not back out and does not abandon our rights. As to how it can be implemented to protect our country, this will be discussed. We should not be reckless in any decision,” Palace press officer Undersecretary Claire Castro said yesterday.

“The DFA (Department of Foreign Affairs) has spoken and (it) did not like the response of the ambassador of China. So whatever appeal will be made, whatever action will be undertaken by the Senate and (the House), the President will not stop it.”

Castro said some people have adopted “extreme” views about the issue, but they cannot be blamed because the “visitor” is not treating the residents of the country well. 

She said President Marcos has not met with Chinese Ambassador Jing Quan, who has earned the ire of some lawmakers because of what they described as his rude and threatening statements. 

Castro added that the exchanges between the ambassador and some Philippine officials should not divert attention away from the claim that businesses linked to Vice President Sara Duterte have received Chinese money. 

In an interview yesterday with “Storycon” on One News, Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro accused the Chinese embassy of interfering in local affairs, including politics.

“We can say that this is already interference in our country’s internal affairs, because they are turning this into a political issue and capitalizing on it,” Teodoro said.

“This is what our people need to understand. They are interfering in our politics because they are handling the matter in a way that has made it political. Their language is no longer diplomatic,” he added.

The defense chief did not discount the possible impact of China’s actions in the upcoming 2028 election, noting how the embassy “transformed” its messaging to something that is more aggressive.

“It has become a political fight, not a diplomatic one. Their statements are now about our internal politics,” he said.

“The threat there is the continuing attempt to expand sa West Philippine Sea,” he said. “The major issue here is their attempt to seize our territory. We should not allow ourselves to be distracted from that.”

Playing tit-for-tat, the Chinese embassy said Filipinos – especially politicians and lawmakers – who want Jing out are not welcome in China either.

“Since you don’t welcome us, we don’t welcome you, either. Fair enough,” the Chinese embassy said in a post on Facebook.

This developed as 10 more members of both the administration and minority blocs in the House of Representatives joined senators in urging President Marcos to declare Jing persona non grata.

The lawmakers crossed party lines in filing House Resolution 1562 persuading the Chief Executive to expel Jing or seek his recall by the Chinese government.

“The President, being vested with executive power, holds primary authority to conduct foreign relations and to represent the nation in its dealings with other states and must therefore take decisive action in response to statements and conduct that undermine national sovereignty and threaten the country’s security,” a portion of the three-page resolution read.

The House members who signed the resolution were Reps. Ziaur-Rahman Alonto Adiong (Lanao del Sur), Adrian Michael Amatong (Zamboanga del Norte), Kaka Bag-ao (Dinagat Islands), Leila de Lima (Mamamayang Liberal), Akbayan party-list Reps. Chel Diokno, Percival Cendaña, and Dadah Kiram Ismula; Cielo Krisel Lagman (Albay), Karl Fernandez Legazpi (Pinoy Workers) and Mark Anthony Santos (Las Piñas).

Vice President Sara Duterte’s spokesman Paolo Panelo, meanwhile, insisted she is not siding with China in its ambassador’s verbal spat with Philippine officials.

Duterte’s position is “to bring the temperature down, to de-escalate the tension” and let the DFA resolve the issues with China, Panelo said. –  Janvic Mateo, Pia Lee-Brago, Evelyn Macairan