MANILA, Philippines — The Duterte administration appears to have broken protocol during the two-day state visit of Chinese President Xi Jinping to the Philippines.

President Rodrigo Duterte received his Chinese counterpart at Malacañan Palace Tuesday afternoon for an official welcome ceremony, followed by a bilateral meeting where 29 agreements were signed.

During Duterte and Xi's meeting, the arrangement of Philippine and Chinese flags were reversed, violating Republic Act 8941 or "The Code of the National Flag, Anthem, Motto, Coat-of-Arms and Other Heraldic Items and Devices of the Philippines."

Section 18 of RA 8941 states that, "When displayed in a row or in a parade with flags of other countries, the National Flag shall be on the left (observer's point of view) of other flags."

Behind Xi, the Chinese flag was placed on the left while the Philippine flag is on its right when they issued a joint statement after a bilateral meeting.

Historical researcher Eufemio Agbayani III pointed this out on Twitter, noting that the Philippine flag should be to the left of the observer to acknowledge the precedence of the country's flag in Philippine soil.

The same arrangement of flags, where the Chinese flag was to the left of the observer, was also noticed at the gates of Malacañan Palace and during the bilateral meeting between Philippine and Chinese officials.

BREACH OF PROTOCOL. Why is it that in the arrangement of flags this #XiJinpingPH state visit, the organizers got the PH and CH flags reversed? (a thread) (1/9)



(photo from RTVM) pic.twitter.com/EJRUJchKry — Eufemio Agbayani III (@eufems) November 20, 2018

And here it is at bilateral meeting in Malacañan Palace. #XiJinpingPH (4/9)



(photo from @RTVMalacanang) pic.twitter.com/E9thKUxmcw — Eufemio Agbayani III (@eufems) November 20, 2018

Another breach in protocol was noticed during the inspection of troops during the welcome ceremony for the Chinese leader.

To make matters worse, during the inspection of troops during the welcome ceremony earlier, the honor guard carried the Chinese flag, NOT the Presidential Standard as PH protocol dictates #XiJinpingPH (4/9)



(screencap from livestream of @RTVMalacanang) pic.twitter.com/yPQuNnPFsW — Eufemio Agbayani III (@eufems) November 20, 2018

Instead of the Presidential Flag as dictated by Philippine protocol, the Chinese flag was carried when the two leaders inspected the troops in Malacañang.

Pointing out that the presidential standard carried as the president reviews troops symbolizes his authority as commander-in-chief of the armed forces, former Presidential Communications Undersecretary Manuel Quezon III noted that presidents can break traditions.

"It can be a dramatic statement with deep meaning, without having to say anything. In that sense 2018 is a year that marks discarding a tradition dating back to 1935," Quezon said on Twitter.

Quezon added that no president "ever breaks protocol" but they make "exciting modifications" or "dramatically dispense with protocol."

Presidents, of course, while expected to maintain tradition, can always break with tradition. It can be a dramatic statement with deep meaning, without having to say anything. In that sense 2018 is a year that marks discarding a tradition dating back to 1935. pic.twitter.com/eCIvNl6lwQ — Manuel L. Quezon III (@mlq3) November 20, 2018

Agbayani, on the other hand, noted that this would not be the first time that the arrangement of flags would be wrong. The Chinese flags were also raised at the left side when a ranking Chinese official visited the House of Representatives.

"Our [government] seems too concerned with pleasing the [Chinese] guests that they'd rather follow [Chinese] protocol over [Philippine] protocol which we have followed ever since our independence was recognized in 1946, and perhaps even earlier," Agbayani said.

CLARIFICATION: This thing might already be going on since the PRRD administration. Previous presidencies had employed PH flag left, other flag right. (photo of Abe state visit from @pnagovph, others from @govph) #XiJinpingPH (9/9) pic.twitter.com/PYyaoxS4xA — Eufemio Agbayani III (@eufems) November 20, 2018

Further proof: State Visit of US President Eisenhower (1960, photo from Life Magazine via https://t.co/IEvN7HkFWK), State Visit of Thai King Rama IX (1968 from https://t.co/Y6zeBWDKGT) pic.twitter.com/uXQtRtC0T7 — Eufemio Agbayani III (@eufems) November 20, 2018

This would not also be the first time under the Duterte administration breaks flag protocol when a foreign leader visits the country.

During the state visit of Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, the Japanese flag was also placed on the left while the Philippine flag was to its right.

Agbayani further noted that the last time the Philippine flag was placed on the right of a foreign flag was during the administration of former President Manuel Quezon, when the Philippines was a Commonwealth of the United States.

SORRY TO ADD A LITTLE MORE, but the last time we had the PH flag on the right and a foreign flag to the left was when we were a Commonwealth of the United States. In other words, sakop pa tayo noon. #XiJinpingPH #XiPHVisit (photo from https://t.co/R3fYr5dy4s) pic.twitter.com/76Ix5kIqu4 — Eufemio Agbayani III (@eufems) November 20, 2018

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