Official wants China envoy expelled

Official wants China envoy expelled

PHILIPPINES: A Philippine cabinet member said on Friday the Chinese ambassador in Manila had "pounded on his table and shouted at him" over Chinese fishermen detained for poaching and that he wanted the envoy declared persona non grata.

"If the ambassador feels that he could just bully the department of justice, then he will be in for a surprise because we are not going to be bullied by anyone to ignore the law," Justice Secretary Hernando Perez told reporters.

He said Ambassador Wang Chungui lost his temper during a meeting at the department on Friday to resolve the issue of about 120 Chinese fishermen detained on the western island of Palawan on charges of poaching in Philippine waters.

Perez said the ambassador wanted the fishermen freed without their lawyer entering a plea of guilty and paying the required fine. --Reuters