House leaders sounded the alarm over what they described as Vice President Sara Duterte’s “deafening silence” on Chinese aggression in the West Philippine Sea and the involvement of some Chinese nationals in transnational crimes in the country, calling for a “survey” to reveal the foreign policy positions of elected officials.
“It’s like the silence is deafening,” Assistant Majority Leader Paolo Ortega V of La Union said.
“Personally, I’m trying to question why when there was a flare of Chinese (actions in the WPS), she remained silent about it,” added Assistant Majority Leader Zia Alonto Adiong of Lanao del Sur.
“She is the second highest public official of the land, next to the President, and her position on these is very important. Whether her silence will be treated as apathy, that would definitely spell out and define the kind of leader that she is,” Adiong added.
Assistant Majority Leader Jil Bongalon of Ako-Bicol party-list said: “There should be a survey on public officials. We should be asked whether we are pro-Philippines or pro-China. And our answers to the survey must be made public. Through this we will find out their stand.”
“If we are talking about the sovereignty of our country, we should expect politicians to at least issue a statement. But for the longest time that she has been Vice President—July 1, 2022 until now – have you heard anything she said against China? The answer is nothing,” he added.
Bongalon said regardless of political differences, the government must present a united front when it comes to territorial integrity and national sovereignty.
At the Senate, Majority Leader Francis Tolentino resigned from the Duterte-led PDP-Laban, citing “significant differences” on foreign policy positions on the West Philippine Sea.
In his letter to PDP President and Senator Robin Padilla, Tolentino said: “This decision comes after a careful consideration and is due to significant differences in our foreign policy directions, particularly regarding the West Philippine Sea.”
“Given this fundamental divergence. I feel it necessary for both myself and the Party to take this step. This will allow a more cohesive and unified approach within the Party on this critical issue…I trust that this decision will support the Party in developing a more focused and effective strategy,” he added.
Tolentino underscored the importance of upholding the 2016 arbitral ruling that invalidated Beijing’s massive claim over the South China Sea, which he said was “crucial to our territorial integrity.”
“The party’s inclination on bilateral dialogue concerning these matters, while having merit, may not fully align with the principles established by the arbitral ruling and might weaken our position in the international arena,” Tolentino said.
“A stronger, more resolute multilateral alliance with our historical allies and like-minded nations is crucial for effectively addressing challenges in the West Philippine Sea and ensuring regional stability,” he added.
In June, an OCTA Research showed that 91 percent of adult Filipinos distrusted China.
A Pulse Asia survey last month, on the other hand, showed that the majority of Filipinos believe the Philippines should strengthen existing alliances and hold joint patrols and military exercises with its allies and partners amid heightened tensions in the West Philippine Sea.
