LP stalwart to Duterte: Where’s campaign promise on West PH Sea?

Lorenzo “Erin” Tanada III INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

A ranking Liberal Party (LP) official questioned on Wednesday the integrity of President Rodrigo Duterte regarding his campaign promise that he would defend the country in the controversial West Philippine Sea issue.

Erin Tañada, Liberal Party Vice President on External Affairs, strongly asked Duterte what happened to the promises that he stated during the Presidential campaign back in 2016.

“Nasaan ang pangako mo, Pangulong Duterte, na ipagtatanggol ang Pilipinas at ang interes ng mga Pilipino? Ngayon kailangan ng mga Pilipino ang iyong tapang,” Tañada said in a statement.

(Where now is your promise, President Duterte, that you would defend the Philippines and the interest of Filipinos? Now the Filipino people need your courage.)

“Luluhod at susunod na lang ba tayo sa utos ng China? Kahit harap-harapan nang binabalahura ang dangal ng Pilipinas?” he asked.

(Are we just going to bow down to every order of China? Even to the extent that the Philippines’ honor is being desecrated?)

The statement was made after a report revealed that China is almost finished with its continuous militarization in the West Philippine Sea.

READ: EXCLUSIVE: New photos show China is nearly done with its militarization of South China Sea

This, Tañada said, was one of the reasons why it has always been hard to explain to other Filipinos the importance of freedom in one’s country.

“Kahit noon, ang hirap ipaliwanag sa kapwa natin Pilipino ang kahalagahan ng tunay na kalayaan. Ngayon, nagpapaliwanag ulit tayo sa ating mga kababayan na mali ang pananalakay na ito ng China,” he said.

(Even before, it is hard to explain to a fellow Filipino the importance of genuine freedom. Now, we are again explaining to our countrymen that the intrusion of China is wrong.)

“Mali ang pambu-bully sa ating mga mangingisdang may karapatang maghanap-buhay sa ating karagatan. Mali ang militarisasyon sa ating mga islang mga isang libong kilometro lang ang layo mula sa kabiserang lungsod ng Manila,” he added.

(The bullying against our Filipino fishermen who have the rights to fish in the sea is wrong. The militarization of the islets about 1,000 kilometers away from the tip of Manila is wrong.)

On Monday, Bayan Muna Rep. Carlos Isagani Zarate slammed Duterte for his “deafening silence” regarding the controversial West Philippine Sea. /jpv

READ: Solon hits Duterte admin’s ‘silence’ on China militarization of disputed sea