MANILA, Philippines — Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. has appeared to have lost his cool over giant clams on Scarborough Shoal.

On Wednesday, Locsin called out a netizen he described “boba” (stupid) after she insisted that the reported poaching of giant clams in Scarborough Shoal is about protecting Philippine territory.

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Earlier, the country’s top diplomat said he would not go to war against China over giant clams.

READ: Locsin won’t go to war over giant clams, but says China must pay

The netizen was reacting to Locsin’s earlier tweet on Monday, where he said he will not “allow a settlement” on the maritime dispute between the Philippines and China.

I won't allow a settlement of our dispute with China ending up with a concession from China to ALLOW us to protect our clams—or binding itself to protect our clams—giving China one up, delighting environmentalists I despise, and leaving us with less than we have under Hague. — Teddy Locsin Jr. (@teddyboylocsin) April 21, 2019

“The issue is protecting our territory, not the clams. [It] should be basic for a Foreign Minister!” The netizen wrote.

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But Locsin replied: “Then shut up about the clams. What if China offers to protect clams and let’s us in to help.”

Then shut up about the clams. What if China offers to protect clams and lets us in to help. . That compromises Hague victory. China will have given us permission. Boba. https://t.co/KbxRjOnRAf — Teddy Locsin Jr. (@teddyboylocsin) April 24, 2019

“That compromises [the] Hague victory. China will have given us permission. Boba,” he added.

In a recent repot by ABS-CBN News, it was revealed that Chinese fishermen have been poaching giant clams in Scarborough Shoal, which the Philippines claims to be part of its territory. The harvesting of the giant clams has obviously adversely affected the state of reefs in the resource rich area.

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Locsin said the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) would be “taking legal actions” against China over the reported harvesting of giant clams in the Scarborough Shoal.

READ: Philippines ‘taking legal action’ vs China over Scarborough clams

/kga

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