BBM favors diplomacy over expulsion of envoy

Amid calls by Filipino lawmakers to declare Chinese Ambassador to the Philippines Jing Quan persona non grata over his remark that Beijing could “easily win” a conflict with the Philippines, Malacañang said President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. favors diplomacy over punitive action against the envoy.

Palace Press Officer Undersecretary Claire Castro on Monday said the President respects the lawmakers’ opinions but did not want a foreign diplomat to be declared persona non grata.

“We know the President’s position. He would not want this kind of declaration against anyone representing another country in ours. Whatever the opinions of other leaders and senators, we respect their thoughts, opinions and feelings,” Castro said in a Palace briefing.

Marcos on Friday described Jing’s remark as threatening and said he would summon the envoy to Malacañang.

Marcos on Friday described Jing’s remark as threatening and said he would summon the envoy to Malacañang.

“But as we have said, the President does not act undiplomatically. He is the President, and everything he says can affect our country and our people. That is why he does not take an aggressive stance in his views on relationships and interactions with other countries,” Castro said.

She said Marcos has maintained a diplomatic approach in dealing with other countries, including China, since the beginning of his administration.

Castro stressed, however, that the government would not back down from protecting the country’s sovereignty and its interests in the West Philippine Sea, saying these must be defended through diplomatic means and without resorting to aggression.

China: ‘Just do it’

In a Facebook post last Friday, the Chinese Embassy challenged Philippine lawmakers seeking to declare Jing persona non grata to “just do it.”

The post followed Senator JV Ejercito’s statement that lawmakers were weighing a resolution condemning Jing’s “very rude, very hostile and very undiplomatic” remarks.

Castro said she would leave it to the Department of Foreign Affairs to respond to the Chinese embassy’s latest statement.

“Regarding the Chinese representative’s recent message and other statements that the President considers potentially undiplomatic, we will leave the matter to the DFA for now. Its mandate is to engage with the leadership of other countries and address any disagreements or issues diplomatically,” she said.

Castro said the DFA would issue its own statement on the Chinese embassy’s latest post. She said her office had yet to receive the details on when the President would summon Jing.

She also urged Filipinos to unite when the country’s national interests are at stake.

“We may have different opinions on other matters, and that is acceptable. But when it comes to our rights as Filipinos, our territory and our interests in the West Philippine Sea, we must stand united,” Castro said.

Castro denied the Palace had ordered the senators to tone down their criticism of China, saying they were free to express their opinions.

“We cannot prevent them from expressing what they feel. But as far as the President is concerned, we reiterate that negotiations with any country must be conducted diplomatically,” she said.