Camille Naredo

A man carries a flag as he prays the rosary in front of the Chinese consulate in Makati City on July 12, 2019. Jonathan Cellona ABS-CBN News/File

A man carries a flag as he prays the rosary in front of the Chinese consulate in Makati City on Friday.  The groups commemorated the third year anniversary of the arbitral victory at the Hague, which favored the Philippines on the maritime dispute on the West Philippine Sea.   Jonathan Cellona ABS-CBN News

Article (news)

CHINA

RG Cruz

Vivienne Gulla

ABS-CBN News

MANILA -- Senate President Vicente Sotto III has floated the idea of declaring as persona non grata the Chinese diplomat who is responsible for attacks on Philippine officials -- including senators -- who have criticized China&#x27;s aggression in the West Philippine Sea.Sotto made the suggestion in response to Senator Risa Hontiveros, who doubled down on her rebuttal of China after the Chinese Embassy in Manila continued to push back against Philippine officials.Hontiveros spoke during the deliberations on Proposed Senate Resolution 256, signed by 15 Senators, condemning the Chinese Embassy statements against Philippine officials.<div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/1/26/-pinaka-kontrabida-hontiveros-blasts-china-anew-over-wps-claims-1836">READ: &#x27;Pinaka kontrabida!&#x27; Hontiveros blasts China anew over WPS claims</a></div>&quot;May post na naman ang Chinese Embassy Manila tungkol sa paksa ng ating resolusyon. Ngayon naman si Deputy Spokesperson of the Chinese Embassy Guo Wei, sabi niya &#x27;echoes do not make a claim true&#x27;,&quot; said Hontiveros. &quot;Ni-repost nila yung visuals ng 15 senators condemn Chinese Embassy&#x27;s criticism of Philippine officials. Na ang ibig sabihin ng unang linya ng post ni Deputy Spokesperson of the Chinese Embassy Manila Guo Wei, gaya-gaya lang tayo sa isa&#x27;t isa, tayong lahat na pumirma so far sa resolusyon,&quot; she added.&quot;At minamaliit niya na halos two-thirds ng Senado ay pumirma nitong resolusyon… Ganyan pa rin ang tono nila. Bastos. Walang pag-galang. At gusto pa rin nila sila ang masusunod. Hindi lang sa dagat ng Pilipinas, hindi lang sa social media ng Pilipinas, pati sa Senado ng Pilipinas.&quot;In response, Sotto suggested that the Senate &quot;study the possibility of declaring that particular person a persona non grata.&quot;&quot;That is very, very serious when the Senate does that. So I suggest that the Committee on Rules study the possibility,&quot; he added.Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo Lacson urged further study of Sotto&#x27;s suggestion, as only the President of the Philippines can declare diplomats as persona non grata.Meanwhile, Senate Minority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano, Foreign Affairs Secretary to then President Rodrigo Duterte who had friendly relations with China, asked for the measure to be referred to the committee level.&quot;Mr. President, napaka-importante nung resolution na to, hindi lang dahil sa issues sa West Philippine Sea, but also because of many other issues, our economic ties, people-to-people ties, our OFWs in Hong Kong, in mainland China, in Macau. That&#x27;s why the minority through myself wrote a letter to the majority leader and yourself for your consideration po, na rather than adopting the resolution, we call a committee hearing,&quot; he said.<div> </div><div>HOUSE URGES GOV&#x27;T TO TAKE &#x27;STRONGER ACTIONS&#x27;</div>Meanwhile, ten lawmakers filed on Tuesday a House resolution urging the government to &quot;take stronger actions and initiatives&quot; in response to the public statements of the Chinese Embassy against Philippine government officials.In filing House Resolution No. 680, the lawmakers are calling on the Executive Branch, particularly the Department of Foreign Affairs, to consider the filing of diplomatic protests, summoning the Chinese Ambassador, and the option of declaring persona non grata any embassy spokesperson or diplomat engaged in improper conduct.The resolution states that these initiatives seek to assert diplomatic norms, the principle of non-interference, Philippine sovereignty and territorial integrity in response to the recent remarks by the Chinese Embassy that are directed against government officials.&quot;Wala silang karapatan na laitin, insultuhin at bastusin ang ating mga opisyal. Hindi naman pwedeng habang nagpapakalat sila ng kasinungalingan tungkol sa atin, ay mananahimik lang tayo. Tulad ng pagtatanggol natin sa West Philippine Sea (WPS), dapat lang na pumalag tayo at ipagtanggol din ang ating mga opisyal na dinedepensahan lang kung ano ang totoo at ano ang nararapat sa dignidad ng ating bansa,&quot; ML Party List Representative Leila de Lima, one of the authors of the resolution, said.Pinoy Workers Party List Representative Franz Vincent Legazpi, meanwhile, called for the protection of Filipino fishermen in the West Philippine Sea amid &quot;deliberate, aggressive and dangerous actions&quot; by vessels of the China Coast Guard and the Chinese maritime militia in the area.&quot;We call on the House of Representatives to pronounce on record our resolve to condemn these heinous acts… and to stand for the protection of our brave fisherfolk in the West Philippine Sea, whatever way we can,&quot; Legazpi said in a privilege speech before the House plenary on Tuesday.&quot;We fully support the PCG and all frontline personnel who stand between our people and danger. We must ensure that our fishermen are never left alone, unprotected or forgotten by the House of Representatives on our own waters,&quot; he added.

Senate President Vicente Sotto III has floated the idea of declaring as persona non grata the Chinese diplomat who is responsible for attacks on Philippine officials -- including senators -- who have criticized China's aggression in the West Philippine Sea.

Senate President Vicente Sotto III has floated the idea of declaring as persona non grata the Chinese diplomat who is responsible for attacks on Philippine officials -- including senators -- who have criticized China's aggression in the West Philippine Sea.

Sotto floats idea of declaring Chinese diplomat persona non grata

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Sotto floats idea of declaring Chinese diplomat persona non grata

RG Cruz,

Vivienne Gulla,

ABS-CBN News

Published Jan 27, 2026 06:20 PM PHT

Read More:

China

Philippines

maritime dispute

West Philippine Sea

Chinese Embassy

Philippine Senate

Tito Sotto

Risa Hontiveros

House of Representatives

Philippine Coast Guard

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