Senate Deputy Majority Leader Risa Hontiveros rebuked the Chinese Embassy in Manila after it denigrated a Senate resolution criticizing its officials for targeting Philippine leaders who have challenged Beijing’s illegal activities in the West Philippine Sea.
Hontiveros, one of 15 senators who signed Senate Resolution No. 256, said she and her colleagues would continue placing Beijing’s “coercive” actions on record and would not be intimidated by foreign pressure.
“A Senate resolution is a legitimate and appropriate tool for legislators to express concern over actions that affect Philippine laws, sovereignty, and national interests. We will not be silenced or deterred by statements from foreign actors,” she said.
She argued that the core issue extended beyond diplomatic exchanges, pointing instead to China’s activities at sea.
“The real problem is the PLA Navy, Chinese Coast Guard, and maritime militia’s coercive behavior in the West Philippine Sea—water cannoning innocent fisherfolk, hindering freedom of navigation in our own EEZ, and ramming our vessels,” she said.
Hontiveros also warned Filipinos to remain vigilant against disinformation, saying propaganda had become part of China’s playbook.
“The Chinese government’s propaganda, especially on social media, is as brazen as its harassment in our waters,” she noted, urging the public not to allow foreign elements to sow division.
She renewed her push for the immediate passage of her proposed West Philippine Sea Mandatory Education bill, stressing that public awareness was a frontline defense.
“A public with high maritime domain awareness remains our strongest defense against foreign information manipulation and interference,” she said.