Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) spokesperson for the West Philippine Sea, Rear Admiral Jay Tarriela, has condemned a video reportedly released by China Daily, China’s state-controlled media outlet.
The video features a monkey wearing a barong and salakot, appearing to be manipulated by foreign powers while at sea.
In one scene, the monkey is thrown by two giant hands labeled “USA” and “Japan” before being blasted with a water cannon.
Tarriela said it was outrageous that the same country accused of undermining the Philippines’ rights in the West Philippine Sea had the audacity to produce a video portraying Filipinos as monkeys who blindly follow Japan and the United States.
“Hindi ba’t nakakagalit na ang mismong bansang gumigipit sa ating mga karapatan sa West Philippine Sea ang siya pang may lakas ng loob na gumawa ng video na naglalarawan sa mga Pilipino bilang mga unggoy na basta na lamang sumusunod sa Japan at Estados Unidos? (Isn’t it infuriating that the very country violating our rights in the West Philippine Sea is also the one bold enough to produce a video portraying Filipinos as monkeys who simply follow Japan and the United States?),” Tarriela said.
He added that the short video insults not only the Filipino people but also their national identity.
Tarriela also recalled calls from some senators urging him to apologize to China, and questioned whether those same lawmakers would now say that China should apologize instead.
“Naaalala ko tuloy ang ilang senador na nagsabing kailangan ko raw humingi ng tawad sa China. Ngayon kaya, sasabihin din ba nilang ang China naman ang dapat humingi ng tawad — dahil tayong mga Pilipino mismo ang binababoy ng video na ito? (I can’t help but remember those senators who said that I should apologize to China. Now, will they also say that China should apologize instead—because it is us Filipinos who are being insulted by this video?)” he said.
He stressed that Filipinos are not monkeys and should never be portrayed as such.
The only thing worse than acting like an animal,Tarriela said, is refusing to follow international law.
“Mga kababayang Pilipino hindi po tayo UNGGOY, at huwag tayong pumayag na gawing UNGGOY! Ang mga hayop lamang ang mga nakakagawa ng ganitong pagturing sa kapwa tao at mas masahol pa sa hayop ang hindi marunong sumunod sa international law! (My fellow Filipinos, we are not monkeys, and we should never allow ourselves to be treated like monkeys. Only animals behave this way toward other human beings—and those who refuse to abide by international law are even worse than animals.)” he said.
(PHOTO COURTESY: Jay Tarriela | Facebook)
