MANILA – Bicol Saro Rep. Terry Ridon on Tuesday urged President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to consider expelling lower-ranking Chinese diplomats if he does not want to expel China’s envoy to the country.
At a media briefing, Ridon said lower-ranking diplomatic officers, particularly those managing the Chinese embassy in Manila’s Facebook page, should be removed amid continuing criticism of Philippine officials online.
“Our appeal is not to expel the Chinese ambassador. Our appeal at this point … is to expel the lesser diplomats, particularly those operating the Chinese embassy’s Facebook account,” Ridon, a member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, said in Filipino.
Ridon’s proposal came after Palace press officer Claire Castro said Monday that Marcos did not favor expelling the Chinese envoy, despite calls from senators to declare him persona non grata.
“If the ambassador will not be expelled, then at least expel the lesser diplomats,” he said.
The exchange of statements between China’s embassy and Philippine officials stemmed from Chinese Ambassador Jing Quan’s remarks last week that China “may easily win” in a conflict with the Philippines but would not resort to confrontation because “we love peace.”
He was responding to a statement by Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr., who characterized China as a “troublemaker” in the region.
ANN/Philippine Daily Inquirer