Senator Risa Hontiveros on Tuesday, January 20 urged the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) to act on the Chinese Embassy’s public attacks against government officials defending the Philippines’ position in the West Philippine Sea.

In particular, Hontiveros pointed to a recent social media post of the Chinese embassy assailing Commodore Jay Tariela, a staunch defender of the Philippines’ in the West Philippine Sea row. 

In a letter to DFA Secretary Ma. Theresa P. Lazaro, the senator asked the agency on what the agency intends to do to ensure that foreign diplomatic missions in the Philippines respect the limits of diplomatic conduct and refrain from targeting Filipino officials.

“Binabastos na nga ng Tsina ang ating karagatan, binabastos pa ang mga opisyal natin (China is already disrespecting our seas, and still disrespecting our own officials),” Hontiveros lamented.

“We must not allow the Chinese Embassy — or any embassy, for that matter — to disrespect public servants who are simply defending what is rightfully ours. I expect the DFA to take this matter seriously,” she said.

In her letter to Lazaro, the senator said that the Philippine foreign service has consistently maintained the principle that disputes between states should be addressed through established diplomatic channels.

This, and not through public pressure campaigns that are directed at individual officials, she stressed.

The lawmaker warned allowing such actions to pass any response risks normalizing foreign interference.

It will also undermine the dignity of Philippine institutions and the safety of those tasked with defending the country’s national interests.

“Masyado namang pa-victim ang Chinese Embassy (The Chinese embassy is playing victim). It is their country that fires water cannons at our personnel, threatens our fisherfolk, and destroys our marine environment),” she noted.

“We, Filipino public servants, will continue to speak the truth — and if that hurts their fragile egos, so be it,” she said.