Senate President Sherwin Gatchalian on Wednesday said China is apparently using its social media account as a tool to annoy Philippine officials when it should be used to fix the tense situation due to the issues on the West Philippine Sea.
In a chance interview, Gatchalian said the resolutions filed by senators Erwin Tuflo and Risa Hontiveros calling on Malacanang to declare Ambassador Jing Quan as a persona non grata was expressing the sentiments of the Filipinos against the undiplomatic character of the Chinese Embassy official.
“Itong social media nila parang nagiging gantihan na hindi naman tama dahil dapat ginagamit nila ang kanyang social media para maging maayos, mag-stable, magpaliwanag, hindi yung nag iinis dahil ang nangyayari, inisan nang inisan,” Gatchalian said.
He said the Senate, for one, is only doing its job in letting the concerns of the people be known by the Chinese ambassador.
“Ginagawa lang naming yung trabaho natin at makikita naman natin yung mga statements ng ating mga senador ay very professional, maayos, pinapakita lang kung ano ang tama pero hindi ini-escalate ang situation. Pinapahiwatig lang natin yung mga sentimyento ng ating mga kababayan…na hindi tayong puwedeng bantaan sa sarili nating bansa,” he also added.
Senators Erwin Tulfo and Risa Hontiveros filed separate resolutions calling on President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to declare Jing as a persona non grata and urge the Chinese government to replace him.
The Chinese embassy, on the other hand, posted messages on its social media account that Philippine officials who are critical of Jing will also be banned from entering China and its territories.
Sen. Francis Pangilinan posted on his social media account asking the President to send Jing back to China for unbecoming a diplomat.
“Mr. President, if you can send Duterte, Quiboloy, and Romualdez to jail, declare POGO illegal and have them shutdown, assert our sovereignty against Chinese aggression then you can most certainly send this arrogant, insulting, crude, and insolent alien back to his country of origin. I have witnesses and thus know that you have what it takes, Mr. President,” Pangilinan said.
“But if you don’t use it, you lose it. Send this poor version of foreign guest, this hooligan back,” he also added.
In response, the Chinese Embassy in Manila said: “Using thuggish, hooligan-style language to launch personal attacks on others — is this the calibre and standards of a Philippine senator? Is this the diplomacy and prudence that the DFA claims to uphold?”
On another occasion, Senate President Pro Tempore Vicente Sotto III said on his X account that “Someone is forgetting we have an MDT (Mutual Defense Treaty) with the USA. Patience ba kamo?”
With this, the Chinese Embassy posted: “Does the MDT specify how much tariff should be imposed on the Philippines?”
Sotto, in a Viber message to reporters, said he was not alluding to anyone and was wondering why the Chinese embassy reacted to his social media post.
“Why, do they feel alluded to? I never named anyone,” Sotto said.
Gatchalian said the Chinese embassy should use its social media account to mend ties with the Philippines.
“Dapat ginagamit nila ang kanilang social media sa pagpapaliwanag rather than pang-iinis,” he also added.