The Philippines rebukes China over journey ban on Kalayaan officers

Angelica Escalona, spokeswoman for the Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs, mentioned on Wednesday that whereas Beijing had the fitting to ban the officers from getting into China, its choice to take action was not useful.

“While preventing the entry of foreign nationals into their territory is a country’s sovereign prerogative, such actions do not contribute to fostering good and vibrant bilateral relations, especially in reinvigorating people-to-people interaction, which both the Philippines and China have committed to,” the Philippine News Agency quoted Escalona as saying.

A day earlier, the Chinese embassy in Manila mentioned on social media that 16 Kalayaan officers, together with city mayor Beltzasar Alindogan and deputy Maurice Phillip Alexis Albayda, have been banned from getting into China, together with Hong Kong and Macau.