President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. rejected proposals to declare Chinese Ambassador to the Philippines Jing Quan or any officials from the Chinese Embassy persona non grata, the Palace said.

“Basta ang sagot ng Pangulo hinggil sa panawagan na ideklarang persona non grata ang isang Ambassador [ay] no,” Palace Press Officer Claire Castro told reporters in an ambush interview.

RH Leth Narciso reported that the Palace did not explain why the President rejected the proposal. Earlier this week, Senator Erwin Tulfo said that some of his colleagues considered filing a resolution recommending that President Marcos Jr. declare certain Chinese Embassy officials persona non grata.

The move follows the heated exchange between the Chinese Embassy in Manila and some government officials over Beijing’s aggressive actions in the West Philippine Sea (WPS).

The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) had previously cited the possible implications of declaring some Chinese diplomats persona non grata, warning that such decisions should not be made lightly.