Senator Risa Hontiveros on Wednesday, May 8, said the supposed evidence of a “new model” on the West Philippine Sea agreed upon by the Armed Forces of the Philippines’ (AFP) Western Command (Wescom) should be released immediately by the alleged diplomatic source.
Hontiveros pointed this out as she criticized China anew for waging another “information warfare” on the West Philippine Sea by floating an alleged recording of a two-minute phone call between both sides.
“So kung meron talaga silang (if they rally have the) recording, at kung meron talaga silang (and if they have the) transcript, they should at the least make it available to the government, to the Executive,” Hontiveros said in a press briefing at the Senate.
“Dahil seryosong claim na naman nila iyan ng isang new model, yung sinasabi, yung pinangangalandakan na naman nilang new model dyan sa West Philippine Sea (Because that’s another one of their serious claim, what they claim a new model in the WPS),” she pointed out.
“The last I heard, the only model is under the UNCLOS (United Nations Convention on the Law of the Seas). The last I heard, the only model is yung pagkapanalo natin sa (our victory in the) Hague tribunal. And the latest I heard, ang pinakabagong bahagi ng solo at totoong model ay yung kapapasa lang namin na (the latest solo and real model is our newly approved) Maritime Zones Act,” the senator added.
“So that's a serious claim on their part. Pinakabago na naman nilang kini-claim sa ating karagatan, sa ating teritoryo, sa ating (Their latest claim in our seas, our territory, our own) exclusive economic zone,” she lamented.
“So kung may kiniklaim silang ganoon, patunayan nila (So if they have such claims, they should prove it. And then of course, that would become material to our investigation in the alleged ‘gentleman’s agreement’ or agreements,” she said, referring to the supposed pact between former president Rodrigo Duterte and China.