Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) Secretary Teddy Boy Locsin Jr. lectured a top House of Representatives official who tried to check his use of scathing tweets when pertaining to other nations that the Philippines have territorial disputes with.
(PCOO / FILE PHOTO / MANILA BULLETIN)
During the DFA's budget briefing before the Committee on Appropriations Monday afternoon, Deputy Speaker and Laguna 1st district Rep. Dan Fernandez questioned the outspoken Locsin's social media approach.
Fernandez zeroed in on the top Philippine diplomat's "ruthless and savage comments" especially when it comes to the territorial disputes concerning Sabah, Malaysia and the West Philippine Sea.
"Don't you think it's disadvantageous to the government to have this kind of approach? Trying to negotiate bilaterally but somehow we are attacking the different countries that we have disputes with in these areas.
"Don't you think it's better that we just discuss it in a silent manner than paying a more blatant approach on our social media?" Fernandez asked Locsin, who is a former Makati City congressman and broadcast journalist.
"Well, I'll tell you, if we conduct diplomacy on these issues very quietly, we will wake up one day having lost all our rights. It is better that the public who owns these rights, the Filipino people, know exactly every move we are making and where we will never compromise," the DFA chief said.
"Because some things cannot be settled diplomatically. And what are those things? They are the things that are ours," he said, referring to the Philippine territory.
Locsin narrated to the House panel his Twitter exchange early this year with his Malaysian counterpart, which was triggered after he insisted that Sabah isn't part of Malaysia.
"I don't know why they (Malaysia) answered it. I wasn't even talking to them.I was objecting to the United States Embassy putting up a post that said that we are repatriating Filipinos from Sabah, Malaysia. I said, take that down. You cannot use the (phase) "Sabah, Malaysia," and you cannot say you are repatriating Filipinos from a territory we are claiming," he said.
"Malaysia has decided to bring it up. I wasn't even talking to them. Well, I'll tell you one thing: I'm not scared of them," added the 71-year-old Locsin, who, even before his tenure at the DFA, was an opinionated Twitter user who didn't hold back from using profanities.
"I respect your position and I salute you for that. I hope that we will get a positive result from this," Fernandez said.
Before ending his interpellation of Locsin, the Laguna lawmaker expressed worries that a "vocal" strategy would lead to defeat, like what happened when the Philippines "lost" Scarborough Shoal.
"Remember yung Scarborough natin? During that time we were so vocal about this claim, eh nawala yung Scarborough natin (We lost Scarborough)," the Deputy Speaker said.
Locsin argued that the Philipine Navy, which he said is famous around the world for being bold and brave, wouldn't have withdrawn from Scarborough had it not been for the intervention of the United States government under then-President Barrack Obama.
"Silence gives consent. It is better to speak up in a situation like this. And you know what? You are more respected when you stand up and are clear than try to be diplomatic. My most aggressive counterparts have always been the most productive. And at the end of all our fighting, we respect each other more and we get more done. But those who give in, lose," he said.