Philippine ambassador dies in quarantine hotel in China

Philippine Ambassador to China Jose Santiago “Chito” Sta Romana – SCMP screenshot

According to China’s COVID-19 isolation regulations, Mr. Sta Romana must stay in a hotel for 3 weeks after attending a meeting of the foreign minister. Philippines – China on 3-4.

The announcement of the Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs on April 19 did not specify the cause of death of Ambassador Sta Romana. Instead, the ministry highlighted Sta Romana’s contributions to helping break the ice in China-Philippines relations.

Mr. Sta Romana was appointed as ambassador to China in 2016, after Manila and Beijing became tense over the ruling of the Arbitral Tribunal established under Annex VII of UNCLOS (referred to as the Arbitral Tribunal for the East Sea).

The ruling in the case initiated by the Philippines rejected China’s nine-dash line claim in the South China Sea, prompting an angry response from Beijing. Relations then turned warm when Rodrigo Duterte came to power.

In a press conference on April 19, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin described the late ambassador as “a good friend of China”. Mr. Vuong emphasized that the late ambassador had worked hard, making a significant contribution to promoting bilateral relations.

According to the newspaper South China Morning Post, Mr. Sta Romana has lived in China for decades and used to be a journalist and news reporter for ABC (USA).

In 2012, he was shortlisted as potential ambassadors to China after ambassador Sonia Brady suffered a stroke. However, then Philippine President Benigno Aquino III removed Mr. Sta Romana from the list because he thought he was pro-China.

The administration of President Benigno Aquino III has pushed the case on the South China Sea to the International Court of Arbitration.

In what was considered his last speech on March 5, Mr. Sta Romana described the Philippines’ compass in international cooperation aimed only at national interests.

According to him, cooperation with China on the basis of “mutual respect, friendly cooperation and mutual benefit, while ensuring independence, sovereignty and sovereign rights” would be a wise choice for Manila.

Ambassador Sta Romana died less than three weeks before the presidential election in the Philippines. Outgoing President Duterte is barred from running for office because he is constitutionally barred from serving a second term.