“Will the Duterte government also deport Chinese officials in the country for China’s illegal occupation of our territory?”
This was the question posed by opposition Senator Risa Hontiveros amid the reported landing of Chinese military transport planes on Panganiban Reef (Mischief Reef) in the South China Sea (West Philippine Sea).
An Inquirer exclusive report on Wednesday revealed two Chinese military transport planes on Panganiban (or Mischief) Reef.
According to the report, this is the first documented presence of this type of aircraft in Philippine territory in the South China Sea, and which has raised the prospect of China eventually basing its warplanes there.
READ: China military planes land on PH reef
Hontiveros is also apparently taking a swipe at President Rodrigo Duterte’s statement that he had ordered the arrest and investigation of Australian nun, Sister Patricia Fox, who is a known human rights and peasants advocate, for “disorderly conduct.”
The President also warned the 71-year-old nun that he would not tolerate foreign visitors who insult the Philippines and trample on the country’s sovereignty.
READ: Duterte: ‘I ordered probe of Aussie nun’
“You come here and insult us, you trample with our sovereignty. That will never happen,” he said at the change of command ceremony of the Armed Forces of the Philippines at Camp Aguinaldo on Wednesday. /kga