Senator Risa Hontiveros has asked the Department of Foreign Affairs to clarify how it will respond to public statements from the Chinese Embassy in Manila that she said crossed accepted diplomatic lines by singling out a Philippine official.
In a letter to Foreign Affairs Secretary Ma. Theresa Lazaro, Hontiveros sought details on what measures the department plans to take to ensure foreign missions observe diplomatic norms and avoid publicly attacking Filipino public servants.
“China has already been disrespecting our oceans, and now even our officials. We must not allow the Chinese Embassy — or any embassy, for that matter — to disrespect public servants who are simply defending what is rightfully ours. I expect the DFA to take this matter seriously,” Hontiveros said in a statement delivered in Filipino and English.
The senator underscored that the country’s foreign service traditionally resolves state-to-state disagreements through formal channels, not through public messaging aimed at individuals. She warned that leaving such conduct unanswered could legitimize foreign interference, weaken institutional respect, and place officials responsible for national interests at risk.
“The Chinese Embassy is acting as if it is the victim. It is their country that fires water cannons at our personnel, threatens our fisherfolk, and destroys our marine environment. We, Filipino public servants, will continue to speak the truth — and if that hurts their fragile egos, so be it,” she added.
Her call followed a statement from the Chinese Embassy that quoted Foreign Ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun, which carried a warning addressed to unnamed individuals in the Philippines.
“A word of advice to relevant individuals in the Philippines: immediately stop making provocations and stop confusing right and wrong, or they will pay the price for what they did,” the statement said.
The embassy accused Jay Tarriela, the spokesman of the Philippine Coast Guard, of spreading disinformation and damaging China’s image, saying it had filed strong protests with the Philippine government. It also alleged that certain uniformed personnel, motivated by personal politics, had made statements it described as “outrageous and absurd,” adding that “such behavior is despicable.”
The exchange comes amid heightened verbal sparring between Manila and Beijing over competing claims in the West Philippine Sea, as the Coast Guard continues to publicly document encounters during patrols and resupply missions in contested waters through images, videos, and incident reports.
