MANILA— Senators from the majority bloc have agreed to pursue a resolution declaring Chinese Ambassador Jing Quan persona non grata over his remarks about the Philippines and subsequent challenge to lawmakers, Senate Foreign Relations Committee chairperson Erwin Tulfo said Monday.

Tulfo said the agreement was reached during discussions in the majority bloc’s group chat over the weekend, with Senator JV Ejercito expected to file the resolution on Monday.

“Kami po sa majority nag-uusap po over the weekend, reaction po sa mga sinabi po ng Chinese ambassador (We in the majority discussed over the weekend our reaction to the Chinese ambassador’s statements),” Tulfo said in a chance interview.

“Napagkasunduan po namin na magpa-file nga po (We agreed to file a resolution),” he added.

Tulfo said he would co-author Ejercito’s resolution if it was filed within the day. Otherwise, his office could submit a separate measure on Tuesday.

“Dapat nga po, today we will be filing pero may legis said na baka mag-file si Senator JV so baka mag-doble lang (We were supposed to file today, but my legislative staff said Senator JV might file one, so we might end up with duplicate resolutions),” he said.

The planned resolution follows Jing’s remarks about China’s ability to defeat the Philippines and his subsequent challenge to lawmakers to declare him persona non grata.

Tulfo said the ambassador should have clarified his earlier statements instead of appearing to taunt senators with the possibility of being barred from entering China.

“If you’re a diplomat, you should be… you have to tone down,” he said.

“You represent your country, you represent your people, you represent your leader,” he added, stressing that diplomats should prioritize dialogue over provocative statements.

Tulfo said Jing could have explained that his earlier remarks had been taken out of context and emphasized China’s willingness to engage in discussions. Instead, he said, the ambassador’s response appeared to aggravate the dispute.

Asked whether the resolution could further strain relations between Manila and Beijing, Tulfo pointed to longstanding tensions in the West Philippine Sea, where he said Filipino fishermen and vessels had increasingly faced harassment.

“Tayo na po ang binabangga, pinapalayas sa dagat mismo natin (We are now the ones being rammed and driven away from our own waters),” he said.

He maintained that diplomatic engagement should be grounded in mutual respect rather than intimidation.

“Dapat reconciliatory ang mga pananalita (The language should be reconciliatory),” he said.

Tulfo also criticized the Chinese Embassy’s remarks questioning the fairness of Philippine media coverage, describing them as insulting, particularly given his background as a former journalist.

Responding to the embassy’s social media posts portraying certain politicians as anti-China, Tulfo said lawmakers were defending the country’s maritime rights, which he noted were affirmed by the 2016 arbitral ruling.

He rejected suggestions that senators should remain silent on the issue, saying their position reflected the concerns of millions of Filipinos.

Asked about Jing’s challenge to lawmakers, Tulfo suggested that the ambassador could leave the country voluntarily rather than wait for a persona non grata declaration.

“Why wait for persona non grata? Then, just go home,” he said. (PNA)