MANILA, Philippines — Davao City 1st District Rep. Paolo “Pulong” Duterte on Wednesday hit back at Philippine Coast Guard spokesman Commodore Jay Tarriela, saying his remarks urging the public not to “demonize China” were misinterpreted and insisting that disputes between countries should be handled through diplomacy.
Duterte said his earlier statement should not be taken to mean that he was siding with China or abandoning the Philippines’ sovereignty over the West Philippine Sea.
“Hoy Tarriela… if you studied well at the Philippine Military Academy, you should know that we have what we call diplomatic channels,” Duterte said in a statement written in Filipino.
“Not every issue between countries is addressed through media interviews and sound bites. There is diplomacy. There is statecraft. There is a proper way of protecting the national interest,” he added.
The lawmaker said there is a difference between being firm and being reckless, questioning why Tarriela was allegedly more interested in making his own interpretation of the statement instead of addressing what he had actually said.
Duterte also argued that patriotism should not be measured by who speaks the loudest or repeatedly escalates tensions, saying any conflict would ultimately affect Filipino soldiers, Coast Guard personnel and fishermen.
“The true service to the country is not about getting headlines or making viral statements. The true service is protecting the interests of the Philippines through courage, wisdom and diplomacy,” he said.
He likewise questioned why members of the Coast Guard were commenting on foreign relations, saying their mandate is to safeguard the country’s waters and urging government personnel not to allow themselves to be used for politics.
