Palace says it does not expect Chinese envoy to say sorry
MANILA – Malacañang on Tuesday said it does not expect to get an apology from Chinese ambassador to the Philippines Jing Quan, saying that the Palace would leave it up to the envoy on whether or not he wants to own up to his statements that have stirred controversy in the Philippines.
The Palace gave the statement after Philippine Coast Guard spokesperson for the West Philippine Sea Rear Admiral Jay Tarriela said that the Chinese ambassador must apologize to the Filipino people on his remarks over the use of force.
“Ang pagsasalita ng ‘Sorry, I’m sorry’ hindi ito pinupuwersa, ito ay nanggagaling sa puso,” Communications Undersecretary Claire Castro said in a Palace briefing.
“So, tingnan natin na lang po natin kung ano ang magiging usapan ng representante ng China at ng ating representative sa katauhan po ni Secretary Tess Lazaro,” she said.
The DFA earlier released a statement saying Lazaro has summoned her Chinese counterpart “to convey the Philippines’ serious concern and strong objection to his public statement,” which Manila has described as “provocative and unacceptable, and does not contribute to creating understanding.”
“It is not the place of a foreign mission to publicly criticize or taunt Philippine officials and legislators who are acting within their mandates,” the DFA said in a statement.
“As a democracy, the Philippines values freedom of expression and a plurality of voices, and it will not accept attempts by a foreign envoy to intimidate those who exercise them,” it read.
Despite the strongly-worded rebuke, the DFA said that it “remains committed to candid dialogue and constructive engagement, in line with its mandate and the direction of the President.”
“It will keep open lines of communication with China and work to stabilize bilateral relations, especially in non-sensitive areas, while firmly upholding the country’s consistent positions on important issues,” the statement read.
Castro said she has yet to confirm if President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has summoned the Chinese envoy to a separate meeting.