“We urge all concerned to figuratively take a step back, take a deep breath and recalibrate their responses.”
This call was made by Partido Demokratiko Pilipino (PDP) deputy spokesman Atty. Ferdinand Topacio, in the wake of current heated verbal exchanges between officials from the Philippine government and the Chinese Embassy.
“We in the PDP are respectfully calling on all Philippine government officials to exercise sobriety and restraint in making statements which may tend to escalate the antagonisms or aggravate the word war between the Chinese Embassy and certain offices and officers of the Philippine government,” said Topacio.
Too, he urged Philippine officials to display wisdom, maturity and moderation in times of heated and inflamed emotions over public issues.
However, he notes that unfortunately, there are some who are instead fanning the flames of friction between Chinese diplomats and our own government functionaries by means of misguided usurpation of the foreign policy prerogatives of the Executive department.
“The Philippines, in our current state, must not make an enemy when it can keep a friend. It will profit the country nothing to strain ties with a country which is an important trade partner, an Asian neighbor and a nation with which we share cultural ties going back several centuries. As the Bible says, blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the children of God,” Topacio stressed.
