Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) spokesperson for the West Philippine Sea Rear Admiral Jay Tarriela on Sunday rejected Senator Robin Padilla's latest accusation that his earlier caricature of Chinese President Xi Jinping sparked China's racist AI-generated video depicting Filipinos as monkeys, insisting that Beijing—not him—should be held accountable.
The latest exchange stemmed from Padilla's social media post, where he doubled down on his criticism of Tarriela and accused the PCG official of initiating "wartime propaganda."
"Sir, Ingles na nga, hindi mo pa naintindihan. Sa mga mata ng mga mananakop na puti, tayong mga Asyano ay mga unggoy. Puti bang mananakop ang tingin mo sa akin? Tsaka hindi para sa iyo ang mensahe ko patungkol sa unggoy, kundi para sa media ng Tsino, upang kanilang mapag-isipan na ang ginawa nilang AI video ay isang insulto sa lahing Austronesian at Asyano," Padilla said.
The senator also maintained that Tarriela's classroom caricature of Chinese President Xi Jinping triggered the propaganda battle between the Philippines and China.
"Ang mensahe ko naman para sa iyo: ikaw ang nag-umpisa ng wartime propaganda na ito dahil sa paggawa mo ng karikatura ng pangulo ng Tsina, naka-uniporme ka bilang opisyal ng gobyerno na nasa ilalim pa ng executive branch. Huwag ka kasing mangongopya para batid mo rin ang kasaysayan ng kolonisasyon at digmaan," Padilla added.
Tarriela, however, dismissed the senator's argument, saying Padilla continued to blame the wrong party despite his previous explanations.
"Senator Robin Padilla, mukhang kahit tinagalog ko na po ay hindi pa rin ninyo naintindihan. Kaya uulitin ko: ang racist na video ay gawa ng China, at walang kinalaman dito ang mga 'puti' na sinasabi ninyo. Ang dapat nating kondenahin ay ang China, dahil ang China ang gumawa at nagpakalat ng racist na video na ito," Tarriela said.
The PCG spokesperson said he was surprised that Padilla appeared to hold him responsible instead of China.
"Ngayon ko lang po napagtanto na ang sinisisi pala ninyo sa racist na video na ito ay ako, at hindi pa rin ang China. Para sa inyo, ang caricature na ginamit ko sa isang classroom setting ang siyang pinakadahilan kung bakit nagkaroon ng racist na video. Mawalang galang na po, pero mali po ang argumento ninyo," he said.
Tarriela also defended his use of Xi's caricature, saying it was never intended as government propaganda.
"Una, wala po akong intensyong gamitin ang aking lecture bilang 'wartime propaganda'—hindi ito sinadyang mailathala, ginawa ito sa loob ng isang unibersidad, at ito ay satire," he said.
He added that the issue had long been settled and accused Padilla of continuing to use it to shift attention away from China.
"Pangalawa, matagal nang nakapag-move on ang lahat sa isyung ito ng caricature noong January, pero kayo pa rin po ang gumagamit nito bilang convenient excuse para sa China," Tarriela said.
The PCG official also denied that he had been attacking the senator personally.
"Hindi po ako binabatan—HUWAG PO KAYONG MALITO. Kayo ang nagpangalan sa akin, at kayo rin po ang nagsabing mga unggoy tayong lahat. Remember your own line, Mr. Senator: 'Aren't we all monkeys of different colors?' Hindi po tayo unggoy at hindi po ako ang kalaban dito dahil pareho po tayong Pilipino," he added.
The exchange is the latest chapter in the public dispute between Padilla and Tarriela following the release of an AI-generated video by Chinese state-run media outlet China Daily, which portrayed Filipinos as monkeys while referencing the 2016 arbitral ruling on the South China Sea.
The Philippine government has condemned the video as racist and demeaning and has filed a diplomatic protest demanding its removal.
