Lacson, Hontiveros react to Duterte's statement on Recto Bank incident

Senator Panfilo Lacson points to the Mutual Defense Treaty (MDT) in case the Recto Bank incident between a Chinese vessel and a Filipino fishing boat further escalates into an international incident.

"The MDT is the only "weapon" in our arsenal. No less than (US Secretary of State) Sec Mike Pompeo said as much recently," Lacson said in a tweet.

"We're not praying for WW3 (World War III), just a balance of power being felt in the WPS (West Philippine Sea), unless we can stomach being pushed around forever. Just a thought," he added.

Lacson was reacting to a tweet by Foreign Secretary Teddy Locsin Jr.,"Beautiful. "…you do not send gray ships there…" That's how we give China and the US an excuse. We had only one ship nearby—gray—and it militarized the Scarborough confrontation giving US excuse to drop us. New Coast Guard vessels white with the slanting red bar."

President Rodrigo Duterte on Monday told the Philippine Navy to "stay out of trouble" more than a week after a Chinese fishing vessel hit a stationary Philippine boat in the Recto Bank, well within the country's exclusive economic zone.

With all ‘yung galit and one national official, even urging sending the grey ships, warships doon sa [South] China Sea. Alam mo, gusto ko ‘yan. Kung ako lang ang papiliin niyo, gusto ko ng action. But I am not in my boyhood age anymore," Duterte said in a speech at Sangley Point in Cavite City.

"You do not send grey ships there. Banggaan lang ng barko 'yan. Do not make it worse because that's a fertile ground. Alam ng sundalo yan, miscommunication yan patay na. We are not yet as ready and we can never be ready in a nuclear war," he added.

Senator Risa Hontiveros, meanwhile, called Duterte's statement as "anti-poor" and undermines the livelihood situation of the fishermen.

"Your statement on the Recto bank hit-and-run incident reveals a lot.  Thank you for confirming who you truly are, Mr. President: matapang at mabagsik sa mga mahihirap, palamura at bastos sa kababaihan at democracy advocates, pero maamong tupa sa harap ng bansang Tsina," she said in a statement.

"Kawawa naman ang ating mangingisda. Walang maasahang tulong sa pamahalaan," she added. — BAP, GMA News