Kalayaan residents offended by Marcoleta remarks; senator says context was 'abbreviated'

Residents of the Kalayaan Island Group (KIG) took exception to remarks by Senator Rodante Marcoleta, who allegedly said it would be easier to let go of the islands amid conflicts with China.

According to a "24 Oras" report by Joseph Morong on Friday, Marcoleta drew flak for saying that the KIG is not part of the country’s exclusive economic zone and that it should be let go.

“Ano ba talaga pagpapatayan natin? We will offer our lives and the lives of our children to die for it for something that is not even within our EEZ. Ang gawin natin po para madali, i-give up natin ang KIG,” said Marcoleta during a Commission on Appointments hearing on Wednesday.

(What exactly are we killing each other for? We will offer our lives and the lives of our children to die for it for something that is not even within our EEZ. What we should do to make things easy is to just give up the KIG.)

Residents of the island took offense at Marcoleta’s stance. They said that they will be filing a resolution with the Sangguniang Pambayan ng Kalayaan sa Palawan to remove Marcoleta’s statements from the Senate record.

“We were offended. We take offense at what he has said kasi parang ano’ng silbi ng bayan namin? Ano’ng silbi ng magigiting na mamamayan namin? They have already given up greener pastures elsewhere just to stay there for decades,” shared Kalayaan Vice Mayor MP Albayda.

(We were offended. We take offense at what he has said because what then is the purpose of our municipality? What is the purpose of our honorable citizens? They have already given up greener pastures elsewhere just to stay there for decades.)

Meanwhile, Marcoleta pointed out that he never said the KIG should be given away and that some people were "abbreviating the context" of his remarks.

“My detractors are implying that after my interpellation in the CA where 35 members of the AFP are to be confirmed. I informed them that for the WPS to be listed in the IHO, we need to deposit maps to the UN to notify the world that we are usurping part of the high seas, including the KIG to the WPS since the KIG lies beyond our EEZ,” he said.

“I said that is not possible because that will be violating the UNCLOS, unless of course we give up the KIG to solve the problem,” he added.

According to experts, the Philippines’ claim on KIG was not hinged on the EEZ but rather on the residents who lived in it.

They also highlighted the following local and international laws that recognized the KIG as Philippine territory:

• Presidential Decree 1596 (by President Ferdinand Marcos Sr.)
• United Nations Convention on the Laws of the Sea (UNCLOS)
• Republic Act 9522 or the Archipelagic Baseline Law of the Philippines
• Republic Act 12064 or the Philippine Maritime Zones Act
• 2016 Arbitral Award vs. China

“Kinilala na nga at lahat tapos sasabihin mo papamigay mo? Ano’ng klaseng kahibangan yan?” asked UP Institute for Maritime Affairs and Laws of the Sea director Jay Batongbacal.

(It’s already been recognized and all, and you said that you’re giving it up? What kind of insanity is that?)

“You're following the Chinese position. Dapat mag-register ka as a foreign agent, kasi you're echoing the position of China,” added retired Supreme Court Justice Antonio Carprio.

(You're following the Chinese position. You should register as a foreign agent because you are echoing the position of China.) —Jiselle Anne C. Casucian/LDF, GMA Integrated News