Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) Secretary Teodoro “Teddy Boy” Locsin, Jr. said the country will protest the maritime rescue center that China reportedly opened in the Kagitingan (Fiery Cross) Reef in the West Philippine Sea.
“We will [protest]. I, however, preferred engaging them openly on the floor of the UN (United Nations) General Assembly,” Locsin said in a series of tweets on Saturday, February 2.
“However, if we decide to contest Chinese activity, I am preparing a draft of a compulsory draft into the AFP (Armed Forces of the Philippines) first of media and then maybe others to send into contested zone. We’ll see what happens and if it will be ground for something stronger than a diplomatic protest. No loss,” he added in another tweet.
Chinese state-run Xinhua earlier reported that its government put up what it called a rescue center in the Kagitingan Reef on last Tuesday.
According to China’s Ministry of Transport, the structure will offer “better support” to maritime rescue operations in the southern part of the South China Sea.
Asked on Twitter whether he has already verified the installation of the rescue center, Locsin said, “you expect us to believe Chinese media?”
“Jesus H Christ, I mean, it may be more reliable than native media but Jesus let’s verify it responsibly. We have a Task Force for that,” he added.
Supreme Court (SC) Associate Antonio Carpio had urged the Philippine government to protest China’s establishment in one of the geological features that the Philippines claims.
“If we do not protest, then we impliedly consent to China’s act of putting up a maritime rescue center there,” he said.
“This means we are recognizing that China has a right to occupy and use Fiery Cross Reef. Occupation and use are acts of sovereignty. This contradicts our claim that we have sovereignty over Fiery Cross Reef,” he added.
But contrary to Carpio’s statement, Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo said the Philippines should instead ‘thank’ China for building the rescue center as he said it “could help seamen in distress in that area.”
[READ: Panelo on China’s rescue center at Kagitingan Reef: Maybe we should be thankful]
Panelo, however, said if the Philippine government sees any ‘inconsistency’ with China’s actions, then it will “protest on anything that intrudes to our sovereign.”
Responding to the spokesman’s remark, Magdalo Party-List Representative Gary Alejano said it is “ironic” for Panelo to say the Philippines should be grateful to China for its rescue center, while also saying the country will oppose anything that steps on its sovereignty.
The Palace official also earned the ire of Senator Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan who likened him to a “Chinese puppet.”
“One would wonder sometimes which country he was speaking for. His every tone clearly manifests the language of a Chinese puppet,” Pangilinan said.