Jauhn Etienne Villaruel

President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. delivers his speech during the departure ceremony at Villamor Air Base in Pasay City as he embarks on a State Visit to the Republic of India from August 4 to 8, 2025. Presidential Communications Office

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MARCOS

Katrina Domingo

ABS-CBN News

<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px;display:block" width="960"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/176941072977420260126060116_10fb47455a1b39854b9432385a9f11aa93ed056d702ae6c664c080162788dc34_cropped_processed_by_imagy.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. delivers his speech during the departure ceremony at Villamor Air Base in Pasay City as he embarks on a State Visit to the Republic of India from August 4 to 8, 2025. Presidential Communications Office</span></span></span></div><p>MANILA — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. stands by the actions and statements of Filipino officials that uphold the country’s sovereignty in the West Philippine Sea, Malacañang said on Monday, after Beijing summoned Manila’s ambassador over another official&#x27;s use of cartoonish images of President Xi Jinping.</p><p>Philippine Ambassador to China Jaime FlorCruz was <a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/world/2026/1/23/china-summons-ph-envoy-over-tarriela-s-critics-1005">summoned </a>to China’s Foreign Ministry last week after Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) spokesperson Jay Tarriela gave a talk about how Beijing has been bullying Manila in the West Philippine Sea, while featuring a compilation of comical images of Xi.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/1/16/china-s-embassy-in-ph-accuses-tarriela-of-attacking-smearing-chinese-leaders-1408">&#x27;Blatant political provocation&#x27;: China protests PCG spox Tarriela&#x27;s post with Xi image</a></div><p>“Napatawag po si Ambassador FlorCruz at doon sa meeting na iyon ay pinagtibay pa rin ang ating paninindigan para sa maritime issues at para proteksyunan din po ang ating soberanya,” Communications Undersecretary Claire Castro told Palace reporters.</p><p>“Ang Pangulo po siya po ang nagsabi na hindi niya po isu-surrender even an inch of our territory so ano man po ang ginagawa ng ating mga ahensiya upang ipaglaban ang interes ng ating bansa — iyan po ang nais ng Pangulo at iyan din po ang utos ng Pangulo,” she added.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/1/25/ph-pushes-back-as-china-s-wolf-warrior-rhetoric-targets-officials-1422">PH pushes back as China’s ‘Wolf-Warrior’ rhetoric targets officials</a></div><div><br/></div><div><strong>&#x27;INAUTHENTIC ONLINE BEHAVIOR&#x27;</strong></div><div><br/></div><p>The Presidential Communications Office (PCO) is also coordinating with the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) and the Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center (CICC) to flag possible inauthentic online behavior following the latest friction between Manila and Beijing, Castro said.</p><p>“Matagal na pong nababalita na may ibang bansa na nakikialam sa ating politika pero ayon na rin po sa PCO, iginagalang po natin ang freedom of expression, ang freedom of speech, ngunit kinukondena natin ang anumang disinformation o fake news,” she said.</p><p>“Ang nais po natin ay transparency, masabi ang katotohanan at ito rin po ang ating magiging bilin sa ating mga kababayan — maging mapanuri, magkaisa po tayo,” she said.</p><p>The Philippines and China had been at odds over overlapping claims in parts of the South China Sea, especially after an international arbitration court ruled in favor of Manila and invalidated Beijing’s sweeping assertions in the strategic waterway.</p><p>China&#x27;s Ministry of Foreign Affairs accused the Philippines of “turning a blind eye” on Tarriela’s “inflammatory, confrontational, misleading and baseless remarks against China,” but the PCG official maintained that “China fears an informed world more than it fears international law.”</p><p>“Transparency in the West Philippine Sea is not provocation. It is merely exposing the bully aggressor and the real victim,” Tarriela said.</p><p>“Threatening a public servant for telling the truth will not intimidate us.&quot;</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>LAWFUL DUTIES</strong></div><div><br/></div><p>The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) in a statement reiterated its support for Philippine officials &quot;to perform their lawful duties in defense of Philippine sovereignty, sovereign rights, and jurisdiction.&quot;</p><p>&quot;Their views, as well as those of disagreeing voices, are an inescapable part of the robust plurality of ideas that animate our democratic society,&quot; it said. </p><p>The department stressed that &quot;sober, professional and respectful exchanges&quot; between the two countries are needed, adding it is &quot;not contradictory to the national interest.&quot;</p><p>It said circumspection in language and actions is necessary so the exchanges will not derail the diplomatic space to manage the years-long tension in the maritime domain and to constructively collaborate in non-sensitive areas of cooperation. </p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/1/24/dnd-blasts-china-s-foreign-ministry-over-criticisms-vs-ph-military-officials-1718">DND blasts China&#x27;s foreign ministry over criticisms vs PH military officials</a></div><p>In a separate letter to Sen. Risa Hontiveros, DFA Secretary Maria Theresa Lazaro reiterated that disputes &quot;are best addressed through established diplomatic channels rather than in public.&quot;</p><p>&quot;The Department believes that escalation, even in public messaging, should be undertaken only when it advances clear strategic objectives and the national interest. We have consistently exercises restraint and sobriety in our dialogues with China and in efforts to manage differences. More importantly, we never lose sight of the need to preserve the space for dialogue and consultation despite lingering tensions in the bilateral relationship,&quot; Lazaro said. </p><p>She added that foreign heads of state and government in particular &quot;should be off-limits or at least treated with respect, regardless of our personal views.&quot;</p><p>At the same time, Lazaro reminded all diplomatic missions in the Philippines, specifically the Chinese embassy, to act in accordance with the 1961 Vienna Convention on diplomatic relations.</p><p>Hontiveros wrote the DFA following Tarriela&#x27;s exchange with Chinese embassy officials.</p><div><strong>— With a report from RG Cruz, ABS-CBN News</strong></div><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO:</strong></div><div style="text-align:center"><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/R4pgiOc3too?si=noqZ2d1BVal1bGPE" title="YouTube video player" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe><br/></div>

<p>President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. stands by the actions and statements of Filipino officials that uphold the country’s sovereignty in the West Philippine Sea, Malacañang said on Monday after Beijing summoned Manila’s ambassador over the use of cartoonish images of President Xi Jinping.</p>

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. stands by the actions and statements of Filipino officials that uphold the country’s sovereignty in the West Philippine Sea, Malacañang said on Monday after Beijing summoned Manila’s ambassador over the use of cartoonish images of President Xi Jinping.

Palace says Marcos backs all officials' actions promoting PH sovereignty

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Palace says Marcos backs all officials' actions promoting PH sovereignty

Katrina Domingo,

ABS-CBN News

Published Jan 26, 2026 03:19 PM PHT

|

Updated Jan 26, 2026 03:36 PM PHT

Read More:

China

Jaime Flor Cruz

West Philippine Sea

Jay Tarriela

Ferdinand Marcos Jr.

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