Manila, Philippines – These are the messages displayed on coffins bearing bold statements against high-ranking Chinese officials.
Included were a coffin featuring an edited image of Chinese President Xi Jinping, as well as photographs of Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and Chinese Ambassador to the Philippines Lin Jiang.
The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) strongly condemned the placement of these coffins bearing anti-China messages.
According to the DFA, threats and violence against individuals—including foreign nationals—are not condoned.
Irresponsible and disrespectful actions cannot be tolerated; while the government recognizes the right to freedom of expression, the agency asserted that this right does not extend to actions involving violence or those that compromise the security and safety of others.
The DFA also maintained that these anti-China messages do not reflect the national government’s approach to foreign relations, nor do they represent how Filipinos typically express criticism or dissatisfaction regarding sensitive political issues.
The DFA has reportedly coordinated with authorities to identify and hold accountable those responsible for this reckless act.
Five coffins were spotted in various locations across Quezon City, Caloocan, Makati, and Manila.
However, for Alyansa ng Bantay sa Kapayapaan at Demokrasya Chairman Emeritus Dr. Jose Antonio Goitia, this reflects China’s long-standing provocations against Filipinos—including the harassment of Filipino fishermen and the blocking of Philippine Coast Guard and Navy vessels—as well as its disregard for the Philippines’ rights affirmed by the Arbitral Ruling.
Goitia further emphasized that despite the bullying tactics employed by Chinese vessels in the West Philippine Sea, the Philippines has chosen to uphold democracy and respect for international law.
This serves as a message from the Filipino people: a stand against harassment, intimidation, and disrespect.
These caskets were placed and subsequently abandoned amidst the ongoing rift between Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. and Congressman Paolo “Pulong” Duterte, which stemmed from the Secretary’s remarks criticizing pro-China government officials.
Vice President Sara Duterte also challenged the Secretary to name the government officials who are pro-China.
Teodoro did not directly name the alleged pro-China officials, as it is part of the Department of National Defense’s (DND) mandate to verify the involvement of individuals in any issue before publicly identifying them.
The Secretary reiterated his stance on policies—including Administrative Order No. 29—that define the country’s maritime zones, including the West Philippine Sea.—Alvin Pelobello, Eurotv News