DFA rebukes PH officials over China comments, says they must align with Marcos policy

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The Department of Foreign Affairs on Sunday rebuked other Philippine government bodies and officials over their comments about China, saying these can undermine diplomatic efforts and that public officials must be aligned with the administration in its response.

"Under the Constitution, the President is the chief architect of Philippine foreign policy," it said in a statement, saying that all government officials, whether civilian or military, are expected to align with President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr.'s policy directions

"Individual officials, agencies or sectors do not independently determine the direction of our international relations. Whatever personal convictions public officials may hold, their public platforms carry institutional responsibilities. They may not pursue preferred approaches toward China, or any other international partner, without regard for the consequences on the government's overall policy," it added.

The DFA issued the statement after Foreign Affairs Secretary Ma. Theresa Lazaro spoke with her Chinese counterpart Wang Yi over the phone—part of a "deliberate effort," the DFA said, to maintain bilateral relations before, during, and after the upcoming ASEAN and APEC summits.

The ASEAN Summit will be held in Metro Manila from November 16 to 18, while the APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting will take place in Shenzhen, China, on November 18 and 19.

The DFA called "regrettable" recent statements by various Philippine officials against China's words, as well as its actions in the West Philippine Sea. These statements, the DFA said, "incorrectly merged...documentary evidence, public rhetoric and official diplomatic messaging," and by doing so, "undermine the government's diplomatic approach" and "complicate the work of our diplomats."

"The Philippines' efforts to document and publicize incidents in the West Philippine Sea have established facts, countered disinformation and built international awareness," it said.

"Yet transparency cannot substitute for statecraft. Releasing footage or shaping an online narrative does not, by itself, act as a physical deterrent at sea of a legal strategy."

China claims nearly the entirety of the South China Sea, including the West Philippine Sea, or the part that lies within the Philippines' exclusive economic zone. It has refused to recognize the 2016 arbitral decision that invalidated its nine-dash claim over the sea, and continues to build artificial islands in the area, as well as harass Philippine fishermen.

The Chinese Embassy in Manila, itself a diplomatic institution, has issued several statements about Philippine officials and institutions, in several instances accusing them of being "anti-China" and saying Philippine journalists are "creating hype" against it.

The DFA itself said that the Chinese Embassy's remarks undermine efforts to maintain bilateral relations.

The Embassy has clashed, in particular, with Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr., whom China has banned from entering its territory, and Philippine Coast Guard spokesperson for West Philippine Sea matters Rear Admiral Jay Tarriela.

Lawmakers have sought the recall of Chinese Ambassador Jing Quan over his remarks about China using force in relation to the Philippines.— BM, GMA News

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