Sen. Erwin Tulfo Gives Update on Meeting w/ Officials of Chinese Embassy
ERWIN TULFO – The Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman revealed that he and Chinese Ambassador Jing Quan agreed to hold more diplomatic meetings instead of word war.
Some officials of the Philippine government were recently involved in a word war against the officials of China. It earned different reactions from many people amid the ongoing territorial dispute between China and the Philippines.
The recent word war between the officials of the Philippine government and China was triggered by the caricature of Chinese leader Xi Jinping used by Philippine Coast Guard spokesperson Jay Tarriela at a lecture. It elicited different reactions from the senators who tackled the issue in the Senate.
Senators Alan Peter Cayetano and Robin Padilla were against the action of Tarriela. The actor-turned-Senator stressed that respect should come from both sides.
In his responses to the claims of the senators against him, PCG spox Jay Tarriela had invited Senate Minority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano and Sen. Rodante Marcoleta to join a flight mission to the West Philippine Sea. As for Vice Pres. Sara Duterte the country should resolve its relationship with its neighbors.
Philippine Coast Guard spox Jay Tarriela maintained that he will not apologize to China. He even raised a question if China as apologized to the Philippines for allegedly violating our rights over the West Philippine Sea. Senators Kiko Pangilinan and Risa Hontiveros were among the government officials who were loud on our country’s territorial claims amid the issue.
Previously, Senate Foreign Relations Committee chairman Erwin Tulfo previously said he will ask senators Kiko Pangilinan and Risa Hontiveros to “tone down” their supposed personal attacks against China. His request came in defense of the ongoing negotiations for a code of conduct or COC in the West Philippine Sea them.
“We can just [declare a] ceasefire muna habang ongoing ang negotiations at dialogue diyan po sa COC, lalo na po’t tinatapos pa ang Code of Conduct,” Tulfo said.
Senate Foreign Relations Committee chairman Erwin Tulfo also revealed that he had a scheduled meeting with the officials of the Chinese Embassy. The meeting was scheduled yesterday, February 23. The Senator has given an update.
Senate Foreign Relations Committee chairman Erwin Tulfo claimed that he and Chinese Ambassador Jing Quan agreed to hold more diplomatic meetings rather than word war. Based on a report on ABS-CBN News, Department of Foreign Affairs Secretary Theresa Lazaro was also present at the meeting.
“Well, it was productive. Both of us agreed na open yung continuous diplomatic meetings rather than public discourse, rather than magbanatan sa on-air, social media, newspaper. Sang-ayon siya na sana laging ganoon, may meeting na lang, para to advance further itong better relations between Philippines and China,” Tulfo claimed.
Sen. Erwin Tulfo also claimed that he explained to the Chinese Ambassador that PCG spox Jay Tarriela is under the executive branch. Based on the report, he also claimed that he told him that the Philippines observes freedom of speech.
“Alam naman nila and sinabi ko naman na si Tarriela is under executive, kami ay sa legislative. So iba yung system of government natin dito,” the Senator claimed.
Previously, Philippine Coast Guard spokesperson Jay Tarriela slammed Senate Minority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano over the issue.
