Andronico Del Rosario
House Deputy Speaker Rufus Rodriguez thinks the Duterte administration just accepted a trade: COVID-19 vaccines for the hotly-contested West Philippine Sea.
“The massing of more than 200 Chinese fishing vessels in Julian Felipe Reef off Bataraza town in Palawan took place within eight days of the delivery of the initial 600,000 COVID-19 shots donated by China,” Rodriguez said in a press statement.
“The sequence of events makes many of us wonder if there is a connection between the vaccine donation and China’s latest incursion in the West Philippine Sea.”
https://twitter.com/rg_cruz12479/status/1374536955581452290
Rodriguez likewise expressed doubt on what Beijing claims to be “rough sea conditions” that made their fishing boats decide to seek harbor in Julian Felipe Reef.
“If that were the case, they should have left the area, because it has been more than two weeks since they were discovered,” Rodriguez said.
He also called on the House leadership, led by administration ally House Speaker Lord Allan Velasco to take up and approve the bill which will strengthen our position on the West Philippine Sea.
Rodriguez is likely referring to the pending House Bill (H.B.) No. 00363 or the West Philippine Sea Development Authority Act. It has been pending since July 23, 2019.
Other personalities have agreed with Rodriguez’s views, including retired Senior Associate Justice Antonio Carpio, who welcomes the possibility.
China appears to be appeasing the Philippines by donating COVID-19 vaccines while its maritime militia swarms Julian Felipe or Whitsun Reef in the West Philippine Sea, retired Supreme Court Senior Associate Justice Antonio Carpio said.
READ: https://t.co/bFVJoEr2Ag pic.twitter.com/A6PdJiEHoR
— Philstar.com (@PhilstarNews) March 24, 2021
Meanwhile, Sen. Risa Hontiveros has called out Beijing for not only “lying” about its military presence in the West Philippine Sea. She stressed that they also were “gaslighting” the Philippines by insisting that our worries are baseless.
'CHINA IS GASLIGHTING US.'
Senator Risa Hontiveros says China is “gaslighting” the Philippines by "lying" about its military presence near a reef in the West Philippine Sea. Hontiveros also calls out the Palace to denounce its incivility towards the PH.https://t.co/KWKd0BvPAk pic.twitter.com/uXm3WygO4e
— Rappler (@rapplerdotcom) March 24, 2021
Even Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin is questioning the lack of action from the Department of National Defense (DND) and the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP).
Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin called for faster Armed Forces modernization amid developments in the West Philippine Sea: "While diplomacy is the art of the possible, it cannot be just that." (Senate photo) pic.twitter.com/dfw33AeMHa
— The Philippine Star (@PhilippineStar) March 24, 2021
“If our rights depended only on our ability to fight back, then we would not have any rights anymore,” he said.
Locsin said that if the country does not send a message–Beijing will keep trenching in Philippine waters. It could eventually lose Filipinos their sense of nationhood.
The US State Department and the Japanese embassy seemed to engage Twitter war with the Chinese embassy in Manila.
The US State Department, the Japanese ambassador in the Philippines, and the Chinese embassy in Manila engaged in a Twitter war over the regional tension in the West Philippine Sea. pic.twitter.com/TlAWrgx9np
— ONE News PH (@onenewsph) March 24, 2021
“We call on Beijing to stop using its maritime militia to intimidate and provoke others, which undermines peace and security,” the US State Department said in a statement.
While the Japanese embassy strongly opposes any action that heightens tensions in the West Philippine Sea.
The Chinese embassy said they are committed to managing differences through bilateral consultations and safeguarding peace and stability in the region.
Beijing took a swipe at Japan and said Tokyo was acting as a strategic vassal of the US. It also accused and even called Japan a traitor to the whole of Asia.
Duterte promised to talk to the Chinese ambassador on its latest incursion of Beijing into the country’s exclusive economic zone on Tuesday, March 23.
