MANILA, Philippines — Rear Adm. Jay Tarriela and Chinese Embassy deputy spokesperson Guo Wei traded barbs over a Chinese survey vessel operating around Panatag (Scarborough) Shoal, which Beijing insisted was conducting lawful research in its waters.
On Friday Tarriela, Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) spokesperson for the West Philippine Sea, said the Haiyang Dizhi Shihao had been conducting research in the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone for 25 days, adding that the Department of Foreign Affairs had issued no permit for that vessel’s passage.
The Chinese Embassy rejected this, saying the ship was operating in “China’s inherent territory” since ancient times, adding that the shoal was not defined as part of the territorial extent of the Philippines in Spain’s 1898 Treaty of Paris with the United States. Guo also chided the PCG spokesperson for his social media activity.
READ: Tarriela: Chinese research ship spent 3 weeks in Panatag
“Since August 1 this year, Jay Tarriela has posted 64 times on Facebook, shown up at 6 events, and recorded 11 podcasts,” he said.
“Meanwhile, everyone else is busy with disaster relief while the Filipino people are really struggling. But what’s he doing? He’s busy stirring up maritime disputes, bad-mouthing China, and picking fights.”
Tarriela responded on Saturday with a post playing on the words “Chino” (Chinese) and “kasinungalingan” (lies)—“Stop the ‘kaCHINONGALINGAN’! Bajo de Masinloc (Panatag) belongs to the Filipinos!” he said in Filipino. —GABRYELLE DUMALAG
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