MANILA, Philippines — After telling critics to stay away from the issue of giant clams in the Scarborough Shoal in the West Philippine Sea, the Philippines' top diplomat said he would not apologize for his stand on the issue.
Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. has been consistent on his position that the Philippines should not go to war with China over the giant clams or what locals call Taklobos.
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Chinese fishing vessels have been extracting giant clams in the Scarborough or Panatag Shoal, which apparently have been placed there by Filipino scientists in the 1980s.
On a tweet posted Sunday, Locsin slammed critics, who he called "idiotesses," and told them to "leave things alone."
"If this clam issue ends up with China GRANTING us PERMISSION and even help to save—thereby eroding our victory in the Hague—I will tear out your genitals with pliers," Locsin said.
If this clam issue ends up with China GRANTING us PERMISSION and even help to save the clams—thereby eroding our victory in the Hague—I will tear out your genitals with pliers. Putrefaction ang ina niyo. Just leave things alone you idiotesses.
— Teddy Locsin Jr. (@teddyboylocsin) April 28, 2019
On a separate thread Monday morning, Locsin quoted a monologue on the 2018 movie "Vice" delivered by Christian Bale, who was portraying former US Vice President Dick Cheney.
"'I will not apologize for keeping' our country whole and complete even at the expense of clams. 'And I will not apologize for saying what' needs to be said so that our beloved country 'can sleep peaceably at night' when no one is watching because I am," Locsin tweeted.
"'It is my honor to be your servant. I was chosen 'by the one our people chose' and 'I am doing what you' all—critics and allies of this administration—ask.' To keep our country whole," he added.
May I adopt the words of a true patriot to explain my stand: "No, ah, I think you, uh, cannot be, uh, blown off course. (Certainly not by clams.) I can feel your recriminations (however ill informed) and your judgments (however unthinking) and I am fine with it…
— Teddy Locsin Jr. (@teddyboylocsin) April 29, 2019
…You want to be loved, go be a movie star. The world is as you find it. You gotta deal with that reality." And there are big powers in this world who will do as they please even as small powers will suffer as they must, to quote Thucydides. "And yet you object when I refuse…
— Teddy Locsin Jr. (@teddyboylocsin) April 29, 2019
…to kiss those powers on the cheek and say "pretty please" (spare our clams when asking for permission is an admission they are no longer ours). What travesty would you have let go forward (just to save clams) so you wouldn't seem like a mean and nasty fella" like me.
— Teddy Locsin Jr. (@teddyboylocsin) April 29, 2019
"I will not apologize for keeping" our country whole and complete even at the expense of clams. "And I will not apologize for saying what" needs to be said so that our beloved country "can sleep peaceably at night" when no one is watching because I am. "It is my honor…
— Teddy Locsin Jr. (@teddyboylocsin) April 29, 2019
to be your servant. I was chosen "by the one our people chose" and "I am doing what you" all—critics and allies of this administration—ask." To keep our country whole.
— Teddy Locsin Jr. (@teddyboylocsin) April 29, 2019
In a Twitter post April 16, Locsin said no one "goes to war for clams."
“I am not going down in history as a clam defender, okay? It's a complaint; we're looking into it; but these are just f*cking food,” Locsin earlier said.
Following reports that Chinese nationals have been continuously extracting giant clams from Scarborough Shoal, Locsin earlier said the Department of Foreign Affairs will be taking legal action on the matter.
Presidential spokesperson Salvador Panelo said these activities of Chinese nationals in Philippine waters violate the country's sovereignty.
"They are performing acts of ownership... If it's our territory, therefore, it is an affront to our territory and to our sovereignty," Panelo said earlier this week.