Ten members of the House of Representatives have filed a resolution urging President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to declare Chinese Ambassador Jing Quan persona non grata or request his recall by the Chinese government, according to Akbayan Party-list.
House Resolution No. 1562 was filed on October 21 by lawmakers led by Akbayan representatives Dadah Kiram Ismula and Jose Manuel “Chel” Diokno, along with eight other members of the House.
The resolution cited Jing’s October 15 remarks that China could easily win a conflict if it chose to use force, although he maintained that Beijing preferred peace.
In its social media post, Akbayan said the number of lawmakers supporting the move had increased from nine to 10, following what it described as China’s attempt to intimidate lawmakers by placing them on a list.
“Jing Quan, your tactics of intimidation and harassment are not working. Instead of silencing us, they only inspire more of us to rise, unite, and stand firm in defending our country’s sovereignty and territorial integrity,” the party-list said.
The resolution invokes the President’s authority over foreign affairs while expressing the lawmakers’ disapproval of the ambassador’s remarks.
The move comes amid heightened diplomatic tensions between Manila and Beijing over statements concerning the West Philippine Sea and the Philippines’ maritime rights.
