By Hannah Torregoza Senate President Vicente Sotto III said claims that the Duterte administration ordered the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) to stop patrolling the West Philippine Sea should first be validated. Senate President Vicente “Tito” Sotto III (Czar Dancel) Sotto said that unless verified by the government, the information cited by Magdalo partylist Rep. Gary Alejano is considered “hearsay.” “Eh, san niya narinig ‘yun? Nagpupunta ba siya dun? Baka meron siyang ano (information), malaman natin kasi marami rin akong nakikita sa social media na iba eh, na hindi dapat paniwalaan basta-basta, malaman muna natin kung ano ang totoo (Where did he learn of it? Does he go there? Maybe he has information and it’s best we know, because I’ve seen so many things being said in social media that we need to carefully study before believing, so we must learn first if this is true),” Sotto said in an interview over Radio DZBB. Sotto noted that Malacañang has denied the allegation. “So sino ang paniniwalaan natin? Ang kongresista o ang Malakanyang? (So who are we going to believe? A congressman or Malacañang itself?)” he pointed out. “Kailangan malaman natin san galing information. Para ma-verify eh paano natin validate hearsay sa kanya. Kailangan ma-validate ng gobyerno yun (We need to know where the information came from. So we can validate, how can we validate coming from him it’s hearsay. The government has to validate it),” the Senate leader added. Nevertheless, Sotto said it is imperative that the government approaches the West Philippine Sea issue prudently. “Kahit anong approach kailangan (Whatever approach, it has to be a) diplomatic approach. It’s better to have more friends than enemies. Bakit natin aawayin ang China? Ang bait sa atin eh ( Why will we fight China? They’ve been good to us),” he said. “Hindi nila naisip na ang may hawak ng National Grid natin China ang may hawak, sa kuryente yan, alam ba nila yun? (Didn’t they even consider that China is the one operating our National Grid, our electricity, do they know that?)” Sotto pointed out. Likewise, Sotto said the government should look into the plight of the Filipino fishermen who were reportedly bullied by the Chinese coast guard in Panatag Shoal or Scarborough Shoal. “That issue can be brought up directly to China. The actions of the Chinese Coast Guard were not committed by the President of China,” he stressed. Sen. Gregorio “Gringo” Honasan II, in the same radio interview, also echoed Sotto’s proposal and have Alejano’s information verified. Honasan, likewise, said the information on the harassment of Filipino fishermen should also be verified first. “Unang-una ‘di ko sinasabing pabayaan natin ito. Pero first i-verify natin ang information para sigurado tayong makatotohanan at i-verify ang source (First of all, I’m not saying we should leave it at that. But let’s first verify the information to make sure that it is really true and we need to verify the source),” Honasan said. “Kapag kumpirmado huwag magpadalos dalos. Kung kailangan magprotesta, magprotesta, (If confirmed, let’s not be hasty. If we need to protest, then let’s file a protest),” he added. Honasan, chair of the Senate committee on national defense and security, said the President and the Chinese ambassador can bring up the issue directly to President Xi Jinping. “Nagsalita na ang UN (United Nations) hindi dapat maantala ang freedom of navigation. Dahil hindi lang tayo ang apektado pag hinaharass ang mga fishermen (The UN has spoken, freedom of navigation should not be delayed. Because we’re not the only ones affected if our fishermen are harassed),” Honasan said. “At may arbitral ruling naman na, it’s a matter of time, ‘yung karatig bansa maapektuhan na rin. So kailangan malaman natin kung ano ba dapat gawin sa kaalyadong bansa para isangguni ito sa UN na rin (Our neighboring countries are also affected. So we need first to know what should be done and bring this matter to the UN),” he added. But the senator said it is best that the whole community and even authorities refrain from publicly discussing the West Philippine Sea issue as China may be watching. Sen. Richard Gordon, on the other hand, directly condemned the harassment suffered by the fishermen. Gordon said the government should lodge a protest as the Chinese Coast Guards are preying on the helpless fishermen who are merely trying to make a living. “We are freedom-loving people. These are marginalized people. Why are you doing this to the poor people who are just trying to make a living,” Gordon said. “This is what makes being friends with China nowadays difficult,” he said of the Duterte administration’s pro-China policy. He added that the actions of the Chinese coast guards are more like “the mulcting practices of rogue law enforcers victimizing helpless people.” “The Chinese leadership must exercise extreme control over their so-called patrol activities at this common fishing ground so that they won’t resort to thievery. They are no different from the pirates of the olden times who prey on helpless victims,” Gordon said.