MANILA, Philippines – Despite a colleague’s warning against agitating China, Senator Gregorio Honasan said the Philippines should continue its patrolling of the West Philippine Sea (South China Sea) if only to stress the country’s claim of the area.
“Neither we should keep nor withdraw our warship there. We should continue patrolling,” Honasan said in a phone interview on Monday.
“We just have to make them feel our presence in the area, which we claim is ours so that China won’t think that we want to default on our claim. We just have to make them feel that,” he said.
While he agreed with Senate President Juan Ponce-Enrile’s statement against agitating China, Honasan also acknowledged that the deployment of the BRP Rajah Humabon to the Scarborough Shoal was just part of the country’s “normal patrolling” of the area.
“I agree with Senate President Enrile that we should be careful at this point not agitate China that’s why I did not agree to boycott the Chinese goods. It’s uncalled for. Not even the United States can call for a boycott,” he said.
Honasan maintained that the best approach to the growing tension between China and the Philippines over the contested islands in West Philippine Sea should be diplomatic and peaceful through the help of other nations.
He, likewise, supported Vice President Jejomar Binay’s call for the United States to qualify its support for the Philippines in this fight against China.
“It should also be categorical. Hindi pwedeng broad statement lamang (It should not only be a broad statement). We should request, through a proper diplomatic process, a qualification of this expression of support,” the senator added.