Nelson Morales

Padilla blasts Tarriela over China's offensive video

Article (news)

Dennis Gasgonia

ABS-CBN News

MANILA - The office of Sen. Robin Padilla clapped back at Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) spokesperson for the West Philippine Sea Rear Admiral Jay Tarriela on the issue of the AI video released by China Daily wherein it portrayed the Philippines as a &quot;monkey.&quot;&quot;We will not allow PCG Rear Admiral Jay Tarriela to twist Senator Robin Padilla&#x27;s words to fit a convenient political narrative,&quot; the senator&#x27;s office said in a statement Saturday.It said that Padilla has already condemned the video, but lashed out at Tarriela over his alleged propaganda against Chinese President Xi Jinping. <div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/7/17/tarriela-urges-senators-who-sought-his-apology-to-demand-one-from-china-over-stupid-monkey-video-2012">Tarriela urges senators who sought his apology to demand one from China over ‘stupid monkey’ video</a></div>&quot;Condemning Chinese propaganda does not mean we should remain silent about the use of inflammatory caricatures and wartime propaganda tactics by our own government officials,&quot; it said.&quot;As an officer serving under the Executive Branch, Rear Admiral Tarriela carries a responsibility beyond social media engagement. His public statements and presentations have consequences for diplomacy, national security, and the Filipino people.&quot; Tarriela earlier asked whether Padilla and former Senate President Alan Peter Cayetano will challenge China over the AI video.“Ngayon, ang tanong ko sa mga senador na nagsabing ako raw ang nag-cross ng line last January dahil sa caricature na iyon, hihingan din ba ng mga senador natin na ito ang Chinese Embassy ng sorry dahil tinawag tayong unggoy?” he said.Tarriela also pointed out that the Chinese video was different from Xi&#x27;s caricature.<div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/7/17/ph-officials-condemn-chinese-state-media-video-racism-has-no-space-in-society-1316">DFA formally protests China Daily&#x27;s &#x27;racist&#x27; depiction of Filipinos in AI propaganda video</a></div>“There is a difference between satire and racist portrayal, ‘no? It was a satire and used in an academic setting. It was not publicized dahil gusto ko lang i-provoke or inisin ang China,” Tarriela said.“But this time around, it was a racist portrayal of the Filipino people dahil it was very obvious,” he continued. “There’s no need for you to guess kung sino ‘yung binababoy ng China doon. It is us.”

The office of Sen. Robin Padilla clapped back at Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) spokesperson for the West Philippine Sea Rear Admiral Jay Tarriela on the issue of the AI video released by state-controlled China Daily that portrayed the Philippines as a monkey.

The office of Sen. Robin Padilla clapped back at Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) spokesperson for the West Philippine Sea Rear Admiral Jay Tarriela on the issue of the AI video released by state-controlled China Daily that portrayed the Philippines as a monkey.