MANILA, Philippines — Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. wants a meeting with the German ambassador to the Philippines after Berlin summoned the Philippines' acting envoy.
According to a report from Berlin-based ARD Capital Studio, Germany's Federal Foreign Office has summoned a Philippine ambassador following the remarks of Locsin defending President Rodrigo Duterte's previous remarks likening himself to Nazi leader Adolf Hitler.
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While the Department of Foreign Affairs remains mum on the issue, Locsin answered a netizen asking for his next move.
The Philippines' top diplomat said he has instructed the Philippine Embassy in Berlin to inform the German Federal Foreign Office to send their top envoy in Manila to him.
"Yes, what now? Berlin embassy is handling it; I already told them to tell the German Foreign Ministry to send the German ambassador to me because I'd rather finish my own fights than have others do it," Locsin said on Twitter.
Yes, what now? Berlin embassy is handling it; I already told them to tell the German Foreign Ministry to send the German ambassador to me because I'd rather finish my own fights than have others do it. So, ano nayon, bakla?
— Teddy Locsin Jr. (@teddyboylocsin) February 22, 2019
Rich, coming from one of those who did not just comment on it but perpetrated it. https://t.co/yiwTZ20O6h
— Teddy Locsin Jr. (@teddyboylocsin) February 22, 2019
ARD correspondent Arnd Henze said a Philippine envoy was summoned by the German Federal Foreign Office due to Locsin's "totally unacceptable" remarks on the Holocaust.
Henze earlier interviewed Locsin in Berlin, where the latter defended Duterte's previous remarks comparing himself to Hitler and vowing to slaughter three million drug addicts.
UPDATE: Philippine´s acting Ambassador has been summoned by Germany´s Foreign Ministry. It has been made very clear that the remarks by @teddyboylocsin were totally unacceptable. https://t.co/KiRZxDgrIm
— Arnd Henze (@arndhenze) February 21, 2019
"I tell you something — I said that myself before he said it," Locsin said in the interview.
Diplomatic summons are generally two to four diplomats on either side and "tend to be highly choreographed affairs," according to an explainer from American publication Foreign Policy.
An ambassador would know that he is in "diplomatic hot water" when he meets with a cabinet member or a massive delegation.
"In short, a country’s ambassador gets an earful from a foreign ministry, in a kind of high-level, public show of disapproval," Foreign Policy said. — Patricia Lourdes Viray