MANILA – Senate President Vicente “Tito” Sotto III expressed concern over what he called “deplorable and lamentable” support for China by some senators, even as Beijing continues its harassment of Filipino vessels in the South China Sea.

Sotto’s remarks came after netizens speculated that several senators were cozying up to China and blocking Senate Resolution 256, which sought to condemn the Chinese embassy’s social media attacks against Filipino officials.

“I was hoping that it’s not true. But if you read between the lines, China is being favored by some of us in their statements,” Sotto said during a Zoom briefing.

Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo Lacson acknowledged that some senators may have hesitated to sign the resolution out of “statesmanship,” seeking to avoid further straining Manila-Beijing relations. However, he stressed that silence in the face of harassment against Filipino personnel amounts to pro-China sentiment.

“Some of them, we definitely know as pro-China,” Lacson said, citing incidents where Filipino coast guard and navy personnel were harassed at sea, with one losing a thumb.

The controversy began when the Chinese embassy publicly criticized PCG spokesman Commodore Jay Tarriela and Senators Francis Pangilinan and Risa Hontiveros for their remarks on China’s military drills near Taiwan. Fifteen senators signed the draft resolution condemning the embassy’s actions.

However, Senate Minority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano blocked the measure, calling for referral to the appropriate committee to avoid affecting Filipinos working in China, Hong Kong, and Macau. Only minority senator Jinggoy Estrada joined the resolution, while the remaining minority senators—mostly allies of former president Rodrigo Duterte—did not sign. Senator Pia Cayetano was the sole majority member who abstained.

Senator Erwin Tulfo, incoming chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said he will follow the administration’s “friends to all, enemies to none” policy and promote peaceful coexistence in the South China Sea. He also opposed declaring China’s deputy embassy spokesman persona non grata, citing potential retaliatory action.

Both Sotto and Lacson dismissed claims that Senator Imee Marcos was stripped of her committee post as punishment for her involvement in the resolution or her disputes over the national budget.