MANILA, Philippines — Members of the Chinese Embassy to the Philippines who only speak against the Philippine government should be expelled, said Manila 6th District Rep. Bienvenido Abante Jr., who believes diplomats should be mediators between countries.
In a press briefing on Thursday, Abante said that diplomats often say good things about their host countries, but this has not been the way for those in the Chinese Embassy.
“To be honest in my own opinion they should have been expelled a long time ago. I mean where can you find a Chinese diplomat who only says bad things about the Philippines? You’re a diplomat, right? I mean you should have been saying good things,” Abante told reporters at the Batasang Pambansa complex.
“But whenever he would speak, he would always speak against our policy, against what we want. If he is a diplomat they should do something like shuttling between China and the Philippines. That is the work of a diplomat, but that is not being done, this Chinese diplomat is saying things against the Philippines so he should be expelled,” he added.
Lanao del Sur 1st District Rep. Zia Alonto Adiong, who was present in the briefing, agreed with Abante, saying that he does not understand the intention of the envoy who supposedly wiretapped a conversation with a Philippine military official.
Adiong was referring to China’s claim that a military official already agreed on the new model agreement regarding the management of the disputed Ayungin Shoal — something that officials like Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. and National Security Adviser Eduardo Año have denied.
Both Teodoro and Año have also asked the DFA to expel the Chinese diplomats who violated Philippine laws against wiretapping as well as international diplomatic protocol.
READ: Año: Expel those behind China embassy ‘new model’ recording from PH
“If you’re a diplomat, you have to present yourself diplomatically. Why do you need to [wire]tap? What were your intentions? Of course, your intention there is to use it in espionage, maybe. That’s illegal in this country. So, I think apart from what Manong Benny said that if you’re a diplomat you have to be diplomatic, even in the way you act, the way you speak,” Adiong said.
“But if you are there and then you demean the country that is hosting you in order to promote harmony between your principal country and the one hosting you, I think there is something wrong with you. And on the part of the Philippines, our country, I think it’s better also that we can ask China to send a better one,” he added.
According to Adiong, such statements from a diplomat only strain the relations between the two countries.
“I believe we have so many bilateral agreements with China, trade, et cetera; we are not just talking about the West Philippine Sea when discussing China and Philippine ties. We also have to look at the trade because China is a strong trading partner,” Adiong said.
“Instead of promoting that and ensuring that these two countries have a healthy working relationship, this diplomat destroys this trust by means of illegally wire-tapping information that is classified, that can also be of national interest,” he added.
Last Monday, the Department of Foreign Affairs vowed to investigate and take the necessary action against foreign diplomats linked to illegal activities.
It was former President Rodrigo Duterte’s former presidential spokesperson, lawyer Harry Roque, who confirmed to reporters last March 27 that Duterte and China had a deal to maintain the status quo in the Ayungin Shoal.
Roque mentioned this when asked why China has been so aggressive when Philippine vessels are trying to conduct resupply missions to troops stationed in BRP Sierra Madre, a Navy ship deliberately ran aground Ayungin Shoal.
The former spokesperson surmised that China may have been acting this way because the Philippines is no longer maintaining the agreement, although he himself admitted that the deal was non-binding and cannot apply under President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s term.
However, China said a new model of agreement was reached with the Marcos administration too.,