Prominent lawyer-blogger Jesus Falcis called it a stroke of genius.
When political analyst Ronald Llamas introduced the term “Tsinador” (a portmanteau of Tsina and traydor, referring to “pro-China traitor senators,” thus can also be translated to Tsinator) during a broadcast, the primary announcement post on the News5 Facebook page garnered approximately 2,500 likes (reactions) within its first week.
That was just the introduction.
Llamas used the term to describe certain political leaders and influencers whom he accused of prioritizing Chinese interests over Philippine sovereignty, specifically regarding the West Philippine Sea.
Beyond the initial post, related discussions and interviews featuring Llamas – such as those on ANC Headstart – have reached hundreds of thousands of views (for example, one segment on the Marcos-Duterte rift reached 399,000 views), further amplifying the term’s visibility across the social media world.
The term sparked significant debate, resulting in over 130 direct comments on the initial announcement and thousands of shares across political discussion groups.
The term has since become a staple in Llamas’ commentary, often appearing in his analysis of the shifting alliances between the Marcos and Duterte administrations.
When Filipinos use humor on politicians, it mixes a cocktail of wit and derogatory catcall. There is no doubt that the focus of the critical label are senators perceived to be sympathetic to the interests of the People’s Republic of China over Philippine sovereignty of the West Philippine Sea.
As if on cue, it triggered tantrums from two senators – Alan Peter Cayetano and Rodante Marcoleta. Both are unrepentant Duterte Diehard Supporters (DDS). Marcoleta is a member of the sect Iglesia ni Cristo that has been known to be subservient to Red China’s “10-dash line.” INC maintains congregations in Hong Kong and in the mainland.
That it triggered tantrums is not as important as the Filipino proverb bato-bato sa langit ang tamaan huwag magalit. The criticism is hurled at someone who is not named. It works as a trap. If you react then it is you.
Who can be the specific figures who fit being called Tsinators?
Cayetano has questioned the behavior of the Philippine Coast Guard instead of holding Red China accountable for its actions in the West Philippine Sea. That he now protests the label is very telling.
Rodante Marcoleta gaslighted if there truly are “coordinates” of the Philippine territorial claims. The proper retort is that there are coordinates and they can be found in this downloadable link from the Asian Center of the University of the Philippines:
Marcoleta suggested the country might need to give up parts of the Kalayaan Island Group. His stance is seen as perfectly in alignment with Red China’s “10-dash line” propaganda.
Robin Padilla is often satirized in social media as a Tsinator. He openly shows reluctance to condemn Red Chinese aggression. In senate interpellations he openly espouses Red China positions.
Pia Cayetano has refused to back the senate’s institutional rebuke of the Red Chinese ambassador. She falls under the Tsinator label.
The absent and hidden Bato dela Rosa, soon to be in jail anyway, is also a Tsinador. Dela Rosa has never renounced Red Chinese aggressions against Filipino fishermen.
A person who coins a new word is called a neologist. They invent new words or phrases – neologisms – to express contemporary ideas and to fill gaps in language.
A December 2025 survey by OCTA Research found that 60 per cent of Filipinos distrust Red China. The same research indicated that 79 per cent consider Red China as the country’s greatest external threat.
Many Filipinos believe that the nine senators are under the Red Chinese payroll, but don’t have the paper trail to prove it.
Hence, Tsinator/Tsinador fills that gap. Thank you, Ronald Llamas.
The views in this column are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of VERA Files.
