Palace should urge Beijing to recall ambassador over ‘disgraceful statements’ – Hontiveros
MANILA, Philippines (Updated 7:04 p.m.) — Sen. Risa Hontiveros has urged the Palace to tell Beijing to recall Chinese Ambassador Huang Xilian after he “advised” the Philippines against supporting Taiwan if the country “cares genuinely” about the overseas Filipino workers in the self-governing island.
The senator emphasized that the Philippines will not allow China to “decide on the future of Filipino families.” There are around 150,000 OFWs working in Taiwan.
“He has no business being a diplomat if he is unable to engage with us in a respectful and dignified manner. He, along with his country’s ships and artificial islands in the West Philippine Sea, should pack up and leave,” Hontiveros said in a statement on Sunday.
Hontiveros also pointed out that the country “will never interfere” with the Taiwan issue.
“We, in the Philippines, respect the right of the Taiwanese people to self-determination, and this right must be upheld by all other nations that share this planet, even including the autocratic regime of China,” she added.
The Department of Migrant Workers deferred comment to the Department of Foreign Affairs, which has yet to issue a statement.
The Department of National Defense said it is “prudent to prepare for any contingencies” to make sure all Filipinos abroad are safe amid tensions in the region. Late Saturday, the National Security Council emphasized that the Philippines will not allow itself to be a pawn of any party.
Meanwhile, Huang also accused the Philippines of “stoking the fire” for allowing US access on some of its military bases, with three of the new ones in Isabela and Cagayan are in the northern part of the Philippines facing Taiwan. The NSC said that the new Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement sites were chosen in accordance to the Strategic Basing Plan of the Armed Forces of the Philippines.
President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. has already said that Philippines would not allow these EDCA bases for launching offensive attacks.
The Philippines has a decades-old defense treaty with the US, which is operationalized by the EDCA that allows access to Philippine military facilities for training and equipment storage.
“If China has issues with the US, she shouldn’t drag our country into their fight. It is China who has been stoking tensions in the region, claiming territories that aren’t hers,” Hontiveros said. “It is China who continues to bully, harass, and intimidate other smaller nations in the region.” — Kaycee Valmonte with a report from Xave Gregorio
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