Malacañang on Tuesday emphasized that an apology cannot be coerced or demanded, maintaining that any expression of regret must be offered voluntarily and sincerely amid growing public and legislative pressure on Chinese Ambassador to the Philippines Jing Quan.
Palace Press Officer Claire Castro made the statement following calls from lawmakers for Ambassador Jing to apologize to the Filipino public over recent remarks perceived by officials as a “thinly veiled threat” against the country.
“Ang pagsasalita ng ‘sorry, I’m sorry’ hindi ito pinupuwersa, ito’y nanggagaling sa puso,” Castro said during a Palace briefing. (Saying ‘sorry’ or ‘I’m sorry’ cannot be forced. It must come from the heart.)
Castro advised observing how the situation unfolds through official diplomatic channels rather than escalating rhetorical exchanges.
Castro confirmed that Foreign Affairs Secretary Ma. Theresa Lazaro summoned Ambassador Jing on Monday to directly address the controversial statements and convey the government’s concerns.
While President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. previously expressed a desire to clarify the ambassador’s remarks personally, Malacañang indicated there is currently no confirmed schedule for a direct meeting between Marcos and Jing, as the administration awaits a formal report from the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA).
The diplomatic friction stems from Ambassador Jing’s statements last week, where he remarked that while China could “easily win” in a conflict with the Philippines, it chooses not to use force due to a preference for peace. The comments drew sharp criticism from local officials and prompted calls from several lawmakers to declare the envoy persona non grata.
In response, the Chinese Embassy maintained that the ambassador was not issuing a threat and called for reciprocal respect regarding China’s core interests, including issues related to Taiwan and the West Philippine Sea.
Palace officials underscored that managing bilateral relations requires allowing the DFA to handle primary communications to prevent further diplomatic complications.
“Ipauubaya ko na lang muna kay Sec. Tess Lazaro ang mga isyu sa ngayon para hindi magkaroon ng iba pang issue, nanganganak kasi kapag nagkakaroon ng ibang mga salita,” Castro stated. (I will leave this issue to Sec. Tess Lazaro to handle for now to prevent further complications from arising. Sometimes one remark leads to a whole chain of other issues.)
The executive branch reiterated that the Philippines remains committed to safeguarding its sovereignty through peaceful dialogue, measured diplomatic engagement and adherence to international law.