Senate Deputy Minority Leader Risa Hontiveros Senate PRIB file photo / Joseph Vidal
MANILA, Philippines 鈥� Senator Risa Hontiveros urged the administration to review its political commitments with Beijing, specifically the One China Policy.
Hontiveros issued her statement on Wednesday after China repeatedly criticized the Philippines for supposedly violating the agreement.
鈥淚n any case, China has no business telling Filipinos what to say or not. Wala silang karapatan pagmanduhan tayo gaya nang wala silang karapatan maglayag diyan sa West Philippine Sea,鈥� Hontiveros emphasized in a statement.
(They have no right to tell us what to do, the same way that they have no right to sail in the West Philippine Sea.)
鈥淎s I鈥檝e called for before, we must review this so-called One China Policy. China has done far worse things in our territories compared to a congratulatory message to Taiwan,鈥� she added.
The opposition senator then told the administration to 鈥済et its act together.鈥�
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鈥淲e cannot have the President, the chief architect of foreign policy, say one thing, while the Department of Foreign Affairs says another,鈥� Hontiveros pointed out.
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The DFA previously explained that President Ferdinand 鈥淏ongbong鈥� Marcos Jr.鈥檚 controversial congratulatory message to Lai was only his way of thanking them for hosting nearly 200,000 Taiwan-based Filipino workers.
鈥淣evertheless, the Philippines reaffirms its One China Policy,鈥� DFA told reporters then.
Despite reaffirming its commitment to the policy, the Philippines was criticized by China, claiming that President Marcos鈥� remarks are 鈥渁t odds鈥� with the one-China Principle and contradict the statement of the Philippine government, sending out erroneous signals to 鈥淭aiwan independence鈥� separatist forces.