The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) on Wednesday expressed its support for officials and institutions that are lawfully defending Philippine sovereignty in the West Philippine Sea (WPS).

In a statement, the DFA reaffirmed its backing for officials performing their legal duties in defense of Philippine sovereignty, sovereign rights, and jurisdiction. 

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“The DFA reiterates that differences between States are best addressed through established diplomatic channels rather than public exchanges,” the it said.

This statement comes after a warning from the Chinese Foreign Ministry on Monday directed at “certain uniformed service members” in the Philippines, urging them to stop spreading alleged misinformation about China.

“A word of advice to relevant individuals in the Philippines: immediately stop making provocations and stop confusing right and wrong, or they would pay the price for what they did,” Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Guo Jiakun said.

The DFA also emphasized that it will continue to assert the Philippines’ positions regarding the WPS and the South China Sea, grounded firmly in international law, including the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea and the 2016 arbitral ruling.

“In firm and consistent fashion, the DFA will continue to articulate the Philippines positions on the West Philippine Sea and the South China Sea, which are grounded in international law, including the 1982 UNCLOS and the 2016 South China Sea Arbitral Award,” it added.

On January 16, the Chinese Embassy confirmed that it had filed a diplomatic protest against the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) spokesperson, Commodore Jay Tarriela, due to social media posts they described as “attacking and smearing Chinese leaders.”

In his defense, Tarriela stated that his comments are not “smears” or “slanders,” but factual accounts supported by video evidence, photographs, official PCG reports, and third-party observations, including satellite imagery and statements from other nations.

Additionally, Senator Risa Hontiveros called on the DFA on Tuesday to take action against what she termed public attacks by the Chinese Embassy on Philippine officials defending the nation’s stance in the WPS.

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