MANILA – President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. is maintaining his “what is ours is ours” stance on the West Philippine Sea (WPS) issue, Malacañang said over the weekend.
According to Presidential Communications Office’s Undersecretary Claire Castro, Marcos’ WPS policy is way different from that of his predecessor, former president Rodrigo Duterte.
“Panahon ni dating pangulong Duterte, wala talagang gulo kasi umo-oo tayo. Hindi ganoon si Pangulong Marcos,” Castro said in an interview with the Radyo Pilipinas’ Prangkahan Na! Program.
She added: “Ipaglalaban niya kung ano ang rights natin sa West Philippine Sea, sa EEZ (exclusive economic zone), kung anong meron tayo,” she added.
Castro also said Duterte apparently bowed down to China during his watch as he allowed Beijing to control Philippine waters, including Sandy Cay, where Chinese vessels were seen patrolling under the past administration.
“So, nasaan na ‘yung pagiging independent na country natin? Yung soberenya natin? Eh hindi naman tayo probinsya. At unlike before, the former president wished na maging probinsya tayo. Eh hindi tayo naging probinsya. Kung napagawa siguro tayo na probinsya ng China, susunod tayo,” she said.
Castro further said the Chief Executive would be unyielding when it comes to defending the Philippines’ sovereign rights over the WPS.
“Let’s face it. Hindi tayo probinsya ng China kahit ito’y ginusto ni dating pangulong Duterte. Tama lang po ang ginagawa ng Pangulo. Nandun po ang kaniyang stance: Leave our territory. Remove your claim doon sa (over our) maritime rights natin. So, remove everything. What is ours is ours,” Castro said.
A post from Rednote app falsely claimed that Palawan Island was once a Chinese territory purportedly governed by China for about a millennium. It also claimed that the island’s original name was “Zheng He Island” after a famous 14th Chinese explorer./PN
