MANILA — China defended its imposition of sanctions against former senator Francis Tolentino, declaring the move as “within our legal prerogative” and warning that actions perceived as hostile toward Beijing will come with consequences.
In a strongly worded statement released Wednesday morning, the Chinese Embassy in Manila accused Tolentino of “egregious conduct on China-related issues” and claimed that “there are consequences for hurting China’s interests.”
“Tolentino’s malicious smear against China and instigation of confrontation will only backfire, and ultimately harm the interest of the Philippines and Filipino people,” the Embassy said.
It added: “The Chinese government is firmly resolved to defend national sovereignty, security, and development interests.”
The sanctions were announced just a day after Tolentino officially ended his term as senator. The Embassy confirmed that the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) had been informed of the punitive action.
“For quite some time, driven by selfish interests, a handful of anti-China politicians in the Philippines have made malicious remarks and moves on issues related to China that are detrimental to China’s interests and China-Philippines relations,” the Chinese Embassy stated.
In response, the DFA summoned Chinese Ambassador Huang Xilian to formally express Manila’s concern over the sanctioning of the former lawmaker.
Tolentino, for his part, stood firm, saying he merely acted in defense of Philippine sovereignty in the West Philippine Sea.
“My actions were for defending the rights, dignity, and sovereignty of the Filipino people in the West Philippine Sea,” Tolentino said./PN
