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Alejano tells Cayetano to resign over ‘inaction’ in West PHL Sea row


Magdalo party-list Representative Gary Alejano on Monday called for the resignation of Foreign Affairs Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano over his supposed inaction on Chinese incursions in the West Philippine Sea.

"Maka-ilang ulit nang nilalabag ng China ang ating karapatan sa ating mga teritoryo sa West Philippine Sea ngunit ni isang diplomatic protest ay wala tayong narinig mula sa DFA sa ilalim ng pamumuno ni Secretary Cayetano," Alejano said in a statement.

"Has our own government already been compromised by China? Is Secretary Cayetano still the Philippine Foreign Affairs Secretary or was he already anointed as China’s liaison for the West Philippine Sea issue?” he added.

Alejano lamented the Department of Foreign Affairs' apparent strategy of not filing diplomatic protests to assert the Philippines' sovereignty over areas declared part of its exclusive economic zone.

This is despite China's acts of encroachment to these territories, including the installation of a missile system in the Spratlys and the deployment of aircraft bombers in the Paracel Islands.

"Filing of a diplomatic protest is putting on record our stand on the matter. Absence of a protest would mean acquiescence. Maliban na lamang kung talagang ibinenta at isinuko na ng administrasyong Duterte ang Pilipinas sa China. If the latter is the case, then Secretary Cayetano’s direction for the DFA is no longer carrying Philippine interests,” Alejano said.

“Kung hindi rin lang interes ng Pilipinas ang dala ni Secretary Cayetano, mas mabuting magbitiw na lamang siya sa pwesto kaysa hinahayaang sakupin tayo ng China,” he added.

Alejano renewed his call for the Philippine government to file a diplomatic protest against China's actions in the disputed territories.

"Precisely as the name suggests, filing of a diplomatic protest is the basic diplomatic course also employed by other states. This does not mean we are encouraging a shouting match, nor waging a war," he said. 

GMA News Online tried to reach Cayetano for his comments but he has yet to respond as of posting time. 

Last week, the DFA reiterated that it will continue to monitor the developments in the South China Sea but emphasized that it will not publicize its every response to the diplomatic row.

"While appropriate language, whether expressions of condemnation or concern, over certain developments are clearly conveyed through diplomatic channels, it is not our policy to publicize every action taken by the Philippine Government whenever there are reported developments taking place in the West Philippine Sea and the South China Sea," it said.

The DFA claimed the department and other relevant agencies are "taking the appropriate diplomatic action necessary to protect our claims and will continue to do so in the future."

"We reiterate our commitment to protect every single inch of our territory and areas which we have sovereign rights over," the DFA said. — RSJ, GMA News

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