Lawmakers call out VP Sara for ‘deafening silence’ on China's aggression in WPS, crimes linked to POGOs

Lawmakers on Monday called out Vice President Sara Duterte over what they described as her “deafening silence” over Chinese aggression against Filipino forces and civilians in the West Philippine Sea .

House Assistant Majority Leaders Paolo Ortega V of La Union, Zia Alonto Adiong of Lanao del Sur and Jil Bongalon of Ako Bicol party-list issued the queries in the aftermath of the latest incident of a Chinese military aircraft deploying flares in the path of a Philippine Air Force plane that was patrolling over Panatag Shoal. The incident prompted condemnation from President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos, Jr., the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA).

“Parang nakabibingi ‘yung katahimikan. Lahat naman tayo dito mahal natin ang Pilipinas. Dapat Pilipino ang kampihan, dapat pro-‘Pinas tayo,” Ortega said in a press conference.

(The silence is deafening. All of us here love the Philippines. Filipinos should be standing with each other, we should be pro-Philippines.)

“Personally, I'm trying to question why she remains silent about it. She is the second highest public official of the land, and her position on these cases is very important. Whether her silence will be treated as apathy...that [silence] would definitely spell out and define the kind of leader that she is,” Adiong added.

On POGOs, the Lanao del Sur solon said he hopes to hear public officials "speak on matters that matter to the Filipinos: the fight against transnational crimes, fight to protect our territorial sovereignty. So these are the things na gustong marinig ng ating mga kababayan. Dapat magkaisa para ipagtanggol ang ating bayan at linisin ang ating bayan sa lahat ng mga criminality."

"Sana we can hear from her kung ano talaga iyong clear at ano iyong position niya regarding West Philippine Sea at itong mga nangyayaring crimes, transnational crimes ha kasi these are syndicates ano, these are aliens who operate even within and outside of the country," Adiong added.

(So these are the things that our countrymen want to fear. We have to be united in defending our nation and in cleansing our land of all forms of criminality.

I hope we can hear from her what is truly her clear position regarding the West Philippine Sea and the crimes that are happening, transnational crimes since these are syndicates, these are aliens who operate even within and outside of the country.)

Bongalon, on the other hand, said the Vice President’s penchant for talking about sovereignty rings hollow since she is yet to speak up against Chinese aggression.

“Kung ang pinag-uusapan natin ay tungkol na sa soberanya ng ating bansa, expect mo dapat na maglabas man lang siya ng kanyang pahayag, suporta laban po sa China. Pero for the longest time na naging Bise Presidente siya—July 1, 2022 hanggang ngayon, may narinig na po ba kayo na pahayag niya laban sa China? Ang sagot po: wala.”

(When we talk about our country’s sovereignty, we expect her to at least make a statement, supporting the country against China. But since she assumed the post of Vice President on July 1, 2022 up to now, have we heard her say anything against China. The answer is: None.)

In 2013, the Philippine government under the administration of President Benigno Aquino III filed a case against China before the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague in 2013 due to China's repeated aggression within the Philippines' Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) in the South China Sea as provided under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Seas of which both countries are signatories.

Aside from junking China's expansive claims and upholding the Philippines' EEZ, the Hague court also ruled that Panganiban (Mischief) Reef, Ayungin (Second Thomas) Shoal and Recto (Reed) Bank) are within the Philippines' EEZ and that Bajo de Masinloc, locally known as Scarborough shoal, is a common fishing ground.

The West Philippine Sea or WPS  is the official designation by the government of the Philippines to the parts of the South China Sea that are included in the country's exclusive economic zone.

Beijing, however, refuses to recognize the court ruling to this day.

GMA News Online has reached out to Vice President Duterte and will publish her comment as soon as it becomes available.—RF, GMA Integrated News