IN WHAT looks more like a trivial yet effective protest, unidentified masked men on board vans dumped at least five caskets with anti-China messages in Manila, Makati Caloocan and Quezon City.
According to the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO), the caskets had photos of Chinese President Xi Jinping, Foreign Minister Wang Yi, and Ambassador Jing Quan.
The police said the caskets were simultaneously dropped and abandoned by maskmen in Sta. Cruz, Manila; Barangay 54 in Caloocan City; Gil Puyat Avenue in Makati and Barangays South Triangle and Sta. Teresita in Quezon City at around 2:00 to 4:00 in the morning of August 7.
“The caskets were deliberately abandoned by perpetrators wearing masks on board gray and white vans at around 2:00 to 4:00 in the morning of August 7,” the NCRPO said.
Interestingly, one of the five coffins was left in front of the Chinese Embassy in Makati. It had a tarpaulin with words “greedy” and “salot” printed in large fonts dominantly visible to passerby.
As of this writing, the police have yet to identify the group behind the trivial protest.
Meanwhile, the Department of Foreign Affairs issued a statement assailing the stunt.
“The Department of Foreign Affairs does not condone acts or threats of violence against any individual, including foreign nationals or officials,” it said in a statement. “Such irresponsible and disrespectful acts cannot be tolerated.”
“Free expression does not cover threats or acts that endanger others, the DFA said, adding that the caskets do not reflect how the government conducts its foreign relations “nor do they represent how Filipinos express criticism or dissatisfaction, even on sensitive political matters.”
