Zubiri to mention West PH Sea issue at ‘private, casual’ dinner with Bongbong Marcos, senators

MANILA, Philippines — Lawmakers are set to have a private and casual dinner with President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr., Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri said.

“We have dinner tonight with the President. I arranged a dinner with all the Senators tonight,” Zubiri told reporters in a press briefing Wednesday afternoon.

In this dinner, Zubiri said they would mention the newly adopted Senate Resolution (SR) No. 718, which seeks to condemn China’s continued aggression in the West Philippine Sea.

READ: Senate adopts reso condemning China’s harassment of PH fishers, incursion in WPS

“Ibabanggit po namin ito sa mahal na Pangulo, but again, I will respect the decision of the President. Kasi may balancing act si Presidente eh, one side he must be very firm, but at the same time he must practice diplomacy. Kailangan niyang gawin yan para hindi naman madehado din negosyo at trade with China. In a way he has to have a good balancing act,” Zubiri said.

(We will mention this to the dear President, but again, I will respect his decision because the President has to have a balancing act. On one side, he must be steadfast, but at the same time, he must practice diplomacy. He must do that so business and trade with China will not suffer. In a way, he has to have a good balancing act.)

SR No. 718 urges the Philippine government to take appropriate action in asserting its rights to its exclusive economic zone.

It also indicates that the Department of Foreign Affairs is expected to continue holding a dialogue with China to assert the country’s sovereign rights to the West Philippine Sea.

If the incursions persist despite this effort, the DFA will be urged to do the following:

• Bring international attention to China’s harassment of Filipino fishermen and its continued violation of the Hague Ruling
• Utilize international fora to rally multilateral support for the enforcement of the Hague Ruling and raise awareness of the real situation in the West Philippine Sea
• Engage with like-minded countries to call on China to respect the Hague Ruling
• File a resolution before the United Nations General Assembly to call for the cessation of all activities that harass Philippine vessels and violate the Philippines’ established rights in the West Philippine Sea
• Purse other diplomatic modes as the DFA may deem appropriate and necessary

But Zubiri said the dinner had been planned long before the adoption of SR No. 718.

“Matagal na kasi si Presidente na nagtatanong [kung] kailan ba kami magdi-dinner [o] magme-meeting. He invited all senators,” explained Zubiri, adding that it will be a “casual” and “private” dinner.

(The President has been asking for a long time when we will have dinner or a meeting. He invited all senators.)

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