MANILA (UPDATED) — A Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) official on Thursday slammed Filipinos defending China amid fresh tensions between Manila and Beijing over a confrontation in the West Philippine Sea last weekend, calling them "unpatriotic" and "traitors."
"If you are a Filipino, whether in government or private sector, regardless of your politics, defending and making excuses for China's aggressive behavior should deem you unpatriotic, and a traitor to the Philippines and to our people," said Cmdr. Jay Tarriela, PCG spokesperson on the West Philippine Sea.
"Given current developments in the West Philippine Sea, it is important to show loyalty to country," he said in a tweet.
Tarriela also said that while Filipinos have the...