MANILA, Philippines — Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo has hit back at Senator Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan for calling him a “Chinese puppet.”

“He is talking nonsense, he should read the transcript of the news briefing before making any reaction,” Panelo told INQUIRER.net in a text message.

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Pangilinan earlier said “one would wonder sometimes which country” Panelo was speaking for as his “tone clearly manifests the language of a Chinese puppet.”

This was after Panelo said in a Palace briefing on Thursday that the Philippines should be “thankful” to China if it indeed built a maritime rescue center on the Philippine-claimed Kagitingan Reef in the West Philippine Sea.

The opposition senator noted that Panelo, who is also Chief Presidential Legal Counsel, was the same official who said earlier that it was alright for the Chinese to fish in Spratlys waters.

READ: Kiko calls Panelo a ‘Chinese puppet’ for ‘Be thankful to China’ remarks

In an interview with reporters in Malacañang, Panelo clarified that he said the country should be thankful to China if some “conditions” were followed.

“I said, ‘thankful’ on the assumption that number one (China) has informed the (Philippine) government and (number two) sought permission (to us). And number three, that is not just a ruse,” he said.

“‘Yung lumabas e, ‘yun lang thankful kaya binabanatan ako ni Sen. Pangilinan at kung sino sino pa. Magbasa muna kayo ng transcript (It appears that they reacted only to the word “thankful,” so Sen. Pangilinan and others lashed out at me. Read the transcript first) ,” he added. /ee

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