China summons Philippine ambassador over remarks of PCG’s Tarriela

The Chinese Embassy in Manila on Friday said China’s Foreign Ministry has summoned the Philippine ambassador to Beijing amid accusation that Philippine Coast Guard spokesperson for West Philippine Sea Commodore Jay Tarriela is conducting a “smear campaign” against Beijing.

In a statement, the Chinese embassy said the foreign ministry lodged “solemn representations and strong protest” after Tarriela’s remarks.

“Earlier this week, we've stated China's serious position on the remarks by this ‘spokesperson’ of the Philippine Coast Guard,” China's foreign ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun said at a press conference.

“Head of Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ Department of Asian Affairs summoned Philippine Ambassador to China this morning to once again lodge serious protest,” he added.

In response, Tarriela pointed out that the transparency efforts in the West Philippine Sea issue is not a provocation but “merely exposing the bully aggressor and the real victim.”

“Threatening a public servant for telling the truth will not intimidate us. It only proves that transparency is working—and that China fears an informed world more than it fears international law,” Tarriela told reporters in a message.

“If Beijing truly wants to reverse any ‘negative impact,’ it should start by respecting the 2016 Arbitral Award, withdrawing from its illegally occupied reclaimed islands and ending the harassment of Filipino fishermen,” he added.

n an earlier statement, Tarriela said that his posts are not "smears" nor "slanders” but factual accounts backed by video evidence, photographs, official PCG reports, and third-party observations.

GMA News Online has sought comment from the Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) about the matter but the agency has yet to provide a statement as of posting time.

But in an earlier statement, DFA expressed its full support for "publicly elected officials and government institutions" defending the Philippines' sovereignty, sovereign rights, and jurisdiction.

"Differences between States are best addressed through established diplomatic channels rather than public exchanges," the DFA has said.—AOL, GMA Integrated News