Tag: West Philippine Sea

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Lacson to AFP, Coast Guard: Keep Up the Good Work at WPS

Image: CTTO

After driving away Chinese ships off Sabina Shoal in the West Philippine Sea, the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the Philippine Coast Guard should keep up the good work of watching over the area, Sen. Panfilo Lacson said Thursday.

But Lacson stressed our forces must keep alert over our territory and maintain such an approach to intruders, lest they sneak in when our guard is down.

“We must not let our guard down. Since the 1990s, China has already made three incursions into our exclusive economic zone (EEZ): Mischief Reef, Scarborough Shoal, and now, Julian Felipe Reef. They are likely to do so again if we relax,” said Lacson, who chairs the Senate committee on national defense.

Related: Ping, Sumaludo sa Pagbabantay ng AFP, PCG sa WPS
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Divided We Sink [published in The Manila Times]

Sen. Lacson’s commentary published in The Manila Times: “I am sure many Filipinos — not only those who are neither DDS nor Yellows, but even some from either political camp, whether they admit it or not — share some, if not all, of these views. We should thus continue speaking our minds independently, especially in pursuit of our national interest.”

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Ping: Anong Klaseng Kaibigan ang China?

Image: CTTO

Ito ang nagtatakang tanong ni Senador Panfilo Lacson bunga ng patuloy na pangangamkam sa sakop ng teritoryo ng Pilipinas, pang-aagrabyado at pagkibit-balikat ng China sa mga protestang inihahain ng Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) dahil sa mga ginagawa nito sa West Philippine Sea (WPS).

Bunga ng mga naturang pangyayari, iminungkahi ni Lacson, chairman ng Senate Committee on National Defense, na muling pasadahan ang mga nilalaman ng diplomatic ties ng dalawang bansa.

Sa kanyang Twitter post, nanawagan din ang mambabatas sa mga kasamahang senador na suportahan si DFA Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. sa pagpalag nito sa isa sa pinakahuling ginawa ng China sa mga Pinoy na nasa WPS.

“Maybe a review of the country’s diplomatic relations is timely and called for. All the diplomatic protests that the Secretary of Foreign Affairs filed have been ignored as if nothing was filed at all. The continued incursions and bullying finally got his goat. The Senate must support him in this regard,” banggit ni Lacson.

Related: Lacson Pushes Review of PH-China Diplomatic Ties
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Lacson Pushes Review of PH-China Diplomatic Ties

Image: CTTO

What kind of friend – or benefactor – would take what is ours, bully us, and ignore our protests?

On this note, Sen. Panfilo M. Lacson is seeking a review of the diplomatic ties between the Philippines and China, in the wake of China’s recent incursions and bullying in the West Philippine Sea.

Lacson also said the Senate should throw its support behind Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr., who in a tweet had told China to “get… out” after filing numerous diplomatic protests over China’s conduct.

“Maybe a review of the country’s diplomatic relations is timely and called for. All the diplomatic protests that the Secretary of Foreign Affairs filed have been ignored as if nothing was filed at all. The continued incursions and bullying finally got his goat. The Senate must support him in this regard,” Lacson, who heads the Senate’s national defense committee, said on his Twitter account late Monday.

Related: Ping: Anong Klaseng Kaibigan ang China?
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Ping: WPS, Ibang Mahahalagang Usapin ‘Nilulunod’ ng Away-Pulitika

Hindi dapat malagay sa kompromiso ang pakikipaglaban ng Pilipinas sa mga bahagi ng West Philippine Sea (WPS) na nasa loob ng teritoryo nito, pati na rin ang iba pang mahahalagang usapin dahil lamang sa lumalalang bangayan ng dalawang magkalabang paksiyon sa pulitika sa bansa.

Ayon kay Senate committee on national defense chairman Panfilo Lacson, higit na nakakarami pa rin ang mga may lehitimong layunin para sa ikakaayos ng bansa kaya hindi dapat matabunan ang hangaring ito ng dalawang grupo na gamit ang troll farm.

“We are a deeply divided nation. DDS and Yellows bicker about anything. Worse, they assume that everybody else is their proxy. Right or wrong, either you’re with them or against them. Absolutely false! There are many of us who speak our own minds, not theirs,” banggit ni Lacson sa kanyang Twitter account.

Related: Lacson: Don’t Let Deep Political Divide ‘Drown’ WPS, Key National Issues
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