China's embassy in Manila has accused Senator Risa Hontiveros of doing "political theater" and not advocacy whenever she speaks against Beijing.

Accused by Hontiveros herself of being a "bad guest" in the Philippines, the embassy fired back at the senator by asking if she is "really advocating the interest of the Philippines and the Filipinos?"

"Or are you simply pursuing your own political gains? If you truly care about the country, you wouldn’t repeatedly twist the facts, mislead the Filipino public, and incite hostility just to stay in the spotlight," Guo Wei, spokesman for the embassy, said.

It wasn't clear which facts were twisted by Hontiveros. But the embassy has long been asserting its own claims over the West Philippine Sea by citing its own interpretation of international law.

Many nations have recognized the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), including China, which ratified it, which serves as the basis for the Arbitral Award on the South China Sea that turned in favor of the Philippines.

Guo told Hontiveros "no one wants to silence you, and no one should be silenced."

But he added that "freedom of speech is not a license to recklessly defame or attack others, let alone the head of state of another country—this is completely unacceptable."

"What you’re doing isn’t advocacy—it’s political theater. And the price of that theater is paid not by you, but by ordinary Filipinos who deserve stability, cooperation, and truth, not manufactured confrontation," he added.

Meanwhile, Senator Kiko Pangilinan came to support Hontiveros, criticizing the embassy for getting a deputy spokesman instead of an ambassador to speak for the embassy.

"It is, to my mind, duplicitous and cowardly to have Guo Wei, a subordinate, speak on behalf of the spokesman," he said.

"Better yet, let the brave Chinese Ambassador himself speak up. With all due respect, you insult us by having an underling lecture us on matters of foreign relations," Pangilinan added.

The senator said bully nations "are insecure and cowardly states, hiding behind hapless subordinates while pretending to be strong."

"DFA Secretary Tess Lazaro, it is time to file diplomatic protests and summon the Honorable Chinese Ambassador," he said, adding that the government must not tolerate such insulting behaviour done by Chinese diplomats in our own country.