Cagayan de Oro City Rep. Rufus Rodriguez on Tuesday urged China to accept the declaration of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on the West Philippine Sea (WPS) in his third State of the Nation Address (SONA) on Monday.
“China should accept and respect the President’s unequivocal statement: that the West Philippine Sea is ours and will remain ours,” Rodriguez said.
He lauded Marcos’ statement that the Philippines cannot yield or waver on the WPS, saying no country in the world can accept another nation’s extension of its territory.
The lawmaker has been a frequent and consistent critic of Beijing’s intrusion and aggressive activities in waters and islands inside the Philippines’ 200-mile exclusive economic zone (EEZ), including the WPS.
“We are entitled to our EEZ under international law. The President is asserting our rights over areas that are legally ours. We are claiming what the law entitles us, no more no less. China can claim what rightfully belongs to it, and we will respect that,” Rodriguez said.
“Ayungin Shoal off Palawan in the south is thousands of kilometers from China. Scarborough Shoal, or Bajo de Masinloc to Filipino fishermen, is near Zambales and Pangasinan in the north, and it is hundreds of kilometers from China,” he added.
Meanwhile, Senate President Pro Tempore Jinggoy Estrada welcomed reports on the recent arrangement between the Philippine government and China for resupply missions to BRP Sierra Madre stationed at Ayungin Shoal.
“This is a pragmatic solution as it will now ensure our troops stationed aboard our grounded naval vessel receive the necessary support,” Estrada said.
The chairperson of the Senate Defense Committee called on the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) to give additional information and details on the said agreement.
“We appreciate the DFA’s efforts in this regard. Still, we must seek clarity on the operational aspects and the concerns raised by our Chinese counterparts should be addressed while upholding our national position,” Estrada said.
