Breach in protocol over PH presidential flag during Xi's state visit

MISSING. The Philippine Presidential Flag is missing during the review of honor guards by Chinese President Xi Jinping and President Rodrigo Duterte. Screenshot from RTVM

MANILA, Philippines – The sight of the lone Chinese flag behind Presidents Rodrigo Duterte and Xi Jinping as they made their way past the honor guards in Malacañang on Tuesday, November 20, caught the eye of not a few.

Many noticed the absence of the Presidential Standard – the flag that bears the official coat of arms of the President of the Philippines. It is present wherever the chief executive is present, especially during the review of guards.

It is, after all, “one of the oldest official protocol [practices],” said historian and former Presidential Communications undersecretary Manuel Quezon III.

“The Presidential Standard is carried as a symbol of command, of civilian supremacy over the military, and as the personal flag of the commander in chief who is the president,” he told Rappler.

Protocols, however, are often changed depending on the sitting president.

"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," Quezon tweeted.

Rappler reviewed at least 77 state visits of world leaders to the Philippines – from the administration of Manuel Quezon to Benigno Aquino III to get a sense of what they did during welcome ceremonies.

Under the Duterte administration, the absence of the Philippine presidential flag and lone presence of the guest’s country flag (that of China) during the welcome ceremony and review of the guards for Xi was unlike any other state visits.

The Philippine presidential flag was present during the review of the honor guards for Brunei Sultan Hassanah Bolkiah and Indonesian President Joko Widodo – who went on state visits in April 2017.

Indonesian President Joko Widodo's state visit in April 2017. Photo by Rappler

Brunei Sultan Hassanah Bolkiah's state visit in April 2017. Screenshot from RTVM

Meanwhile, based on photographs and videos accessed from archives, only 3 patterns were noticeable during the welcome ceremonies and review of honor guards:

1. There was no flag behind the two leaders
2. Only the Philippine presidential flag was present
3. Both flags of the Philippine president and the visiting leader’s country were present

There is no record of a past state visit when the only displayed flag behind the leaders as they reviewed the honor guards belonged to the guest.

Then-president Benigno Aquino III chose to use his presidential flag during the 19 state visits under his administration.

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Emperor Akihito's state visit in January 2016. Screenshot from RTVM

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Mexico's Enrique Peña Nieto's state visit in November 2015. Screenshot from Rappler

Chile's Michelle Bachelet's state visit in November 2015. Screenshot from RTVM

Thailand Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha's state visit in August 2015. Screenshot from RTVM

Former president of France Francois Hollande during his state visit in February 2015. Screenshot from RTVM

Indonesian President Joko Widodo in February 2015. Screenshot from RTVM

Pope Francis in Manila in January 2015. Screenshot from RTVM

Then Indonesian president Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono in Malacañang in May 2014. File photo by AFP

Then Singapore president Tony Tan Keng Yam in Manila in April 2014. Screenshot from RTVM

Then US president Barack Obama in Malacañang in April 2014. Screenshot from RTVM

Former Myanmar president Thein Sein in December 2013. Screenshot from RTVM

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in Malacañang in July 2013. Screenshot from RTVM

Brunei Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah in Malacañang in April 2013. Screenshot from RTVM

Former France prime minister Jean-Marc Ayrault in Malacañang in October 2012. Screenshot from RTVM

Then Laos prime minister Thongsing Thammavong in Malacañang in May 2012. Screenshot from RTVM

Then Australian governor-general Quentin Bryce in Malacañang in April 2012. Screenshot from RTVM

Qatar's Sheik Hamad Bin Khalifa Al Thani in April 2012. Screenshot from RTVM

Then South Korean president Lee Myung-bak in Malacañang in November 2011. Screenshot from RTVM

Former Vietnam president Truong Tan Sang in October 2011. Screenshot from RTVM

There was a noticeable absence of flags – either the Philippine president’s or the visiting leader’s – behind the leaders as they made their way past the guards during the 13 state visits under then- president Gloria Macapagal Arroyo.

She, however, made use of the Philippine presidential flag during military events or when reviewing the honor guards before a trip abroad.

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Swaziland King Mswati III in May 2008. File photo from AFP

Gambian president Yahya Jammeh in June 2005. File photo by AFP

Pakistan president Pervez Musharraf in April 2005. File photo by AFP

Chinese president Hu Jintao in April 2005. File photo from Chinese embassy

Kazakhstan president Nursultan Nazarbayev in November 2003. File photo by AFP

Then US president George W. Bush in October 2003. Photo from the White House

Romanian president Ion Iliescu in February 2002. File photo by AFP

It was the same with then-president Joseph Estrada who welcomed 3 leaders during their state visits.

Ramos, meanwhile, was not consistent. He used only the Philippine presidential flag when receiving two leaders during their state visits while he used both of their flags in other instances.

Then Chile president Eduardo Frei Ruiz-Tagle in Manila in November 1995. Photo from Malacanang archives

South African president Nelson Mandela in Manila in March 1997. File photo by AFP

There were 22 state visits to the Philippines during the 21-year rule of the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos from 1965 to 1986.

Based on photographs and videos accessed by Rappler covering at least half of these visits, Marcos displayed his presidential flag along with the flag of the visiting leader.

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New Zealand prime minister Robert Muldoon in January 1980. Photo from Philippinediplomaticvisits

Then South Korean president Chun Doo-hwan in Manila in July 1981. Photo from South Korea Presidential Archives

Then Gabon president Omar Bongo in Manila in July 1976. Photo from Philippinediplomaticvisits

Then Thailand prime minister Kukrit Pramoj in Manila in July 1975. Photo from philippinediplomaticvisits.blogspot.com

Then US president Richard Nixon in Manila in July 1969. Photo from the Malacanang Palace archives

Then Singaporean prime minister Lee Kuan Yew in Manila in January 1974. Photo from Philippinediplomaticvisits.blogspot.com

Former presidents Diosdado Macapagal, Carlos Garcia, and Manuel Quezon also displayed their presidential flags at least once during state visits of their guests.

Lone China flag under Duterte

The display of foreign flags in the Philippines is, of course, not prohibited but is subject to guidelines that put importance on the Presidential Standard and the Philippine flag.

Given the long-standing protocols governing the presidential flag during state visits, it's not surprising that the sight of the Chinese flag being carried behind Duterte and Xi caught the ire of many Filipinos.

This, amid a supposed blossoming relationship that is also putting at risk the country's stakes in the West Philippine Sea. (READ: TIMELINE: Philippines-China relations under Duterte)

“To substitute a foreign flag is to very obviously relinquish symbol of command and substitute it with the symbol of sovereignty of another nation,” Quezon said.

“When a long-established custom is dispensed with, even if ostensibly as a sign of favor, it is liable to send the message of subordinating tradition to the objective of the moment, which, in this case, was to give maximum prestige to the visiting head of state,” he added. – with reports from Pia Ranada/Rappler.com