Senate adopts resolution condemning Chinese officials' remarks vs PH authorities after Pangilinan, Cayetano's debate

MANILA (UPDATED) — Senate Minority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano and Senator Francis Pangilinan clashed during the interpellation of  Proposed Senate Resolution 256 which condemns the remarks of Chinese officials against Philippine officials over the West Philippine Sea.

Cayetano said he has no objection to Philippine Coast Guard spokesperson Commodore Jay Tarriela's assertion of Philippine interests, but objects to how Tarriela did it.

Cayetano wants Tarriela to apologize for showing a caricature of Chinese President Xi Jinping.

"So that's why the question kay Commodore Tariella is, officially sanctioned ba yan? Which tama na tanungin ng Chinese ambassador bakit? If a general in China makes a caricature of President Bongbong, dapat iprotest ng ating ambassador. At dapat tanungin, official ba yan?" Cayetano said.

Pangilinan asserted that what is objectionable is the statement of Chinese officials, noting China also has caricatures of the Philippine president.

"Wala namang problema magtanong sila. Pero itong mga bitiw na salita nila sa kanilang Facebook official pages ay hindi katanggap-tanggap. Number one. Number two, kahit sa China, Mr. President, kinakarikature ang ating Pangulo ng state-controlled China state-controlled media na alam natin, walang lumalabas dyan na hindi aprobado ng Communist Party. So merong China, Xinhua News, andito si BBM, may caricature, andito rin. So maliwanag, Mr. President, that they too, through their official channels, come up with caricatures, Mr. President," Pangilinan said.

Cayetano disagreed.

"Mr President, yun po, with all due respect, Sen. Pangilinan, and dapat ina-advise sa ng DFA ng tama, hindi po mangga sa mangga o atis sa atis iyan. Communist countries including Vietnam, Cuba, North Korea, pag news outlet nila, although alam natin in reality may say sila, just like PTV4, in reality, hindi dapat, but in reality kahit sinong administrasyon ay may say sa PTV4, is not considered track one. Hindi siya track one. So kung hindi ka track one, pwede ka mag-caricature. Media yun eh. Kahit na alam ng Communist Party. So if you, if you, if you ask, if our diplomat asked, is that official? Sasagutin ka that's our news. Hindi kami,” Cayetano added.

Pangilinan called out Cayetano.

"Why are, why are, when we defend our, when our officials caricature, it's not okay. But when there's state-controlled news caricatures, it's okay?" Pangilinan said.

"No, Mr. President, there's an international order in foreign relations. And when these countries that control state media do it, it is accepted that it is not track one. But when democratic countries have generals who do that, it destroys the order. Nagmumuka tayong childish at bata, nasisira po ang kredibilidad mula sa Pangulo hanggang sa Secretary of Foreign Affairs. Kung sila hindi sila napapahiya na ginagawa ng state news, tayo napapahiya. Kasi walang maniniwala na gagawin ng general yan at hindi siya ipagsosorry, tapos sasabihin hindi siya opisyal,” Cayetano said in disagreement.

Pangilinan believes Cayetano is oversimplifying.

"Well again, Mr. President, if taken in isolation, and that's the difficulty here, the good senator is taking it in isolation. That was January 14. December pa lang, pinuntirya na ako. Si Senator Risa Hontiveros, the same. Nung nag-statement ang Congressman Leila and Congressman Diokno, tinira rin. So, itong propensity to focus on Tarriela because nagre-reklamo on China, it does not present the entire picture, Mr. President. This resolution would not have happened if it was just Mr. Commodore Tariella they were complaining about. But precisely, it is a systematic propaganda campaign to discredit our public officials, to discredit our armed forces, Mr. President. Ganyan ang style. And the statement of the DND, if you look at it, if you read through it, they were saying, and they condemned the lies. Mr. President, they described it as lies, ang nilalabas ng China. And then dito tayo, nagre-reklamo sila dahil dito sa caricature." Pangilinan said. "Eh sana naman medyo patas tayo dahil dito naman tayo sa atin, Mr. President, supportahan naman natin yung ating Coast Guard. Sila ang tumataya dyan eh. At suportahan natin ang DND at ang ating men in uniform. Yan ang ating kagustuhan para maipasa itong resolusyon na ito. That we stand behind our men in uniform. We oppose and we condemn the lies the disinformation and the maligning being undertaken by China against the senators, against congressmen, against our men in uniform. Mr. President, ganun lang kasimple ito. Hindi na dapat pinahaba pa at pinatatagal pa ito, Mr. President. Mr. President.”

Cayetano explained why he is debating this point extensively.

"Mr. President that's his opinion that hindi ito pwedeng pahabaim. This affects OFWs. This affects are ailing economy. This  affects are being a Christian economy. This  affects are being a Christian nation. This  effects, moral ascendancy. Hindi mo pwedeng sabihin dahil mali kayo, mali na rin gagawin ko."

Cayetano noted the resolution does not even specify which remarks of Chinese officials are objectionable.

"The resolution questions statements. Sabi dito, whereas in response to the public statements of the Embassy of the People's Republic of China, etc. etc. Walang naka-attach ko anong statements nila. So paano tayo magde-debate dito?" Cayetano said.

"We beg to disagree Mr. President that Mr. Commodore Tariela is mistaken. We would not have put this resolution and authored." Pangilinan explained.

SENATE ADOPTS RESOLUTION; CAYETANO HAS CONTENTIONS

The Senate has adopted the proposed resolution. 

The approval was preceded by amendments made by Pangilinan to specify the statements by Chinese officials which the resolution is condemning

The statements were made against Tarriela, Hontiveros and Pangilinan, as well as de Lima and Diokno.

The last minute amendments came after  Cayetano called out the resolution for failing to specify the statements it is condemning--leading to one of the tense moments in the deliberations.

"So anyway, Mr. President, marami pa akong gusto sabihin, but siguro, dahil may LEDAC tayo tomorrow, maraming importante. Ang question ko lang, Mr. President, paano yung amendments? Hindi ba natin ilalagay kung anong mga statement na ito? Kasi paano natin pagbubutohan kung hindi natin alam kung ano yung mga statement na to at sino tong mga opisyal. This resolution is so general it can mean anything. Mr. President, I'm not yet finished. You said you don't want to speak anymore. Then don't speak. It's your privilege. But if you don't like what I'm saying, Mr. President... " Cayetano said as Pangilinan tried to interrupt.

"We move to strike off the record" Pangilinan said.

"I withdraw that statement, Mr. President. I apologize for that." Cayetano said.

"Perhaps what we can do is that let us then terminate the period of interpellation. We can incorporate the amendments proposed if the sponsor will accept or not." Sotto said.

"I agree with you, Mr. President. No objection." Cayetano explained.

Cayetano had been critical of the resolution's failure to specify the Chinese statements it is calling out.

"The statements of Senator Pangilinan, the nature of his statements, kayo na mag-research kung ano statements na yun, Mr. President. Sabi niya, pwede daw yun. " Cayetano said.

"Mr. President, I'm not yet done. Philippine officials, including members of the Senate. May I just be, I am still speaking, Mr. President, " Pangulinan said.

"Mr. President, may we ask the minority employee to state the point of order which part of the rules was which part of the rules was violated." Senate Majority Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri said.

"Mr. President that you cannot make a motion and then say, i-research mo na lang yung laman. " Cayetano said.

Before this, Cayetano also called out the resolution for failing to call out Tarriela's comments.

"So the gentleman from Pampanga expects the Senate to say na mali ang Chinese ambassador sa pakikisagutan kay Senator Risa sa kanya pero wala tayong wherewithal, wala tayong pakialam sabihin sa isang General Boss, mali ka naman kasi."

"So, hindi pwedeng pag Senador, ano tayo? Meron tayong community, mas mataas tayo sa iba, pag tayo tinira, resbak agad ng Senate. Pero kapag ka heneral, eh tama naman yung 99% niyang ginawa, kaya yung 1%, sabihin na lang natin official din yun. Simple lang po tanong ko, is it in the performance of his official duty? Ang bigat po niyan kung sasabihin natin yes. It will ripple not only through our military, but it will ripple in time. And it will be, it's being watched by students who will be our future diplomats, Mr. President."

"So I cannot stand here and accept na yung mali pwedeng maging tama. Again, Mr. President, if it is rhetoric, president to president, we're uncomfortable with it. But it's part of the negotiating. So President Trump does that a lot. But once na tumigil siya, once na kamayan na, tigil na rin lahat nong nasa ilalim niya. Hindi naman pwede ang sssabihin natin dito, ang mali ang presidente. Kasi siya, hindi niya binabastos ang Chinese president. So ang general, ang tama, ang mali ang presidente. You cannot reconcile that. It defies logic, Mr. President. What the President does, the executive follows. Tayo sa legislative. Pwede tayong mag-comment. Pwede tayong mag-resolution katulad. Para kung ano ang tama at mali. That's why, Mr. President, I want to know sino-sinong official ba ito? Sa Senate, sa House, sa interest nila. Kasi yung DND, medyo klaro yun. Nakita ko yung mga statements, etc. And yung DND, mismong si SND ang nagsasalita. So in behalf of the President yun. So kung gustong i-correct ng Presidente yun, i-correct niya."

"Hindi naman spokesman ng Presidente ang nakikipag-debate dun. Hindi naman spokesman ng DND. At sagutin man nila, sinabi na ni DND, yun din ang stand niya. Eto po, hindi. At yung DND po, despite my agreement or disagreement with the Secretary of National Defense, I haven't seen anyone in the DND come out with caricatures of generals of the opposing side or of the president of the other side. Our generals are officers and gentlemen. Is it too much to ask that yung pagiging officer and gentleman sa AFP, PNP, BJMP ay ganun din sa Coast Guard natin? Is it too much to ask a gentleman from Pampanga? Masyado bang malaking ask yun na, Boss, paglaban mo Pilipinas, pero wag tayong bastos."

Pangilinan disagreed.

"Well, because you find, because the gentleman from Taguig finds it unacceptable, Mr. President. Therefore, that is his position. We do not find that unacceptable, Mr. President, under the circumstances. Particularly because China, for the longest time, has been aggressively, illegally encroaching on what is ours. So, if these statements are taken in isolation, perhaps, I might be able to understand where the good gentleman is coming from, but it's not taken in isolation. It's not just Commmodore Tarriela's statement. It is, you know, and the remarks of the Chinese embassy towards and reaction to his statement. It's also what the Chinese embassy has attacked the senators, congressmen, Mr. President. And, if I may add, again, this is not just an issue of Commodore Tarriela. Let's not minimize the issue. We beg to disagree and with all due respect, putting the issue simply as Commodore Tarriela. and his actions is minimizing the issue. And somehow, who benefits from minimizing this issue? China, Mr. President, the good senator may not, that may not be his intention."

"Parang biglang hindi na pinag-uusapan lahat ng mga pang-iinsulto, pananakot ng China dahil andito tayo naipit sa pagdepensa ni Commodore Tarriela. at kanyang mga kilos. I hope the good senator gets a broader or looks at it in a broader perspective, Mr. President?"

Cayetano rebutted this.

"Mr. President, sino ho nag-minimize? Siya po ang nagmamadali, ayaw niya mag-hearing. Kung magkakaroon ho ng hearing, lahat ho ng issues, yung sinabi ng DND, yung ginagawa po sa Ayungin or sa BRP Sierra Madre, yung pong ginawa po sa Scarborough Shoal, Aquino Administration, Duterte Administration, Marcos Administration. Yung pong hinanakit ng ating mga Coast Guard sa nangyayari sa kanilang araw-araw. Sa mga nasa Pag-asa Island po, sa kakulangan po ng pondo. Lahat po yun madidiscuss natin. Paulit-ulit po ang gentleman ng Pampanga na parang ako may kasalanan na pinag-uusapan po si Senator Tarriela e tinamad po sila na ilagay ang mga pangalan ng mga opisyal na sinasabi nila sa resolusyon. Kaya malinaw naman tanong ko, sino-sino itong mga opisyal? Ang alam ko lang si Com. Tarriela. Tapos sasabihan niya ako ay minimizing. Tapos babasahan niya ako ng paano mga taga-DMD, para bang hindi ko sila kinakampihan. Ano, bulok na yung style na yan eh. Yan yung style na pro-China, anti-China, pro-Philippines, anti-Philippines, no? Paulit-ulit na tayo dito, magkakampi tayo pagdating sa territory ng ating bansa. Magkakampi tayo pagdating sa sovereign rights ng ating bansa. May I ask this question? When the military decided to pave the way, to pave, to build a runway sa Pagasa Island, was there any objection by any department in our country at that time?"

Pangilinan moved to end the discussion.

"Well, Mr. President, with all due respect, Mr. President, I think we have exhausted this debate." Pangilinan said.

"Mr. President, do we have closure here?" Cayetano said.

"No, Mr. President, but I will, I no longer would like to respond to further questions." Pangilinan said.

"No, on one hand, Mr. President, sabi niya, minimize ko. Nung nagtatanong naman ako ng ibang opisyal, ayaw naman sagutin. Sino na minimize? " Cayetano said.

"Mr. President, I have the floor. I have the floor. Mr. President, point of order, I have the floor and I would like to manifest that we believe this has been exhausted for two weeks, Mr. President, we have debated this and I think we have ventilated the issue enough and it is time for a vote, Mr. President. I will no longer yield to questions, Mr. President." Pangilinan said.

 Cayetano called out the criticisms against dissenting opinions.

"Mr. President, before that, can I just reiterate my question? Kung hindi niya sasagutin, imamanifest ko lang yung sagot sa sarili kong tanong. Ang tanong ko po sa kanya, nung sinabi ng military, ganyan na nangyayari sa West Philippine Sea, lagyan na natin ng runway, ayusin na natin ang Pag-asa. Meron ba po mga opisyalis ng kahit anong departamento sa ating bansa na registered a negative vote and advised the military not to do it?"

"If the good senator doesn't want to answer that, I will answer it. Mga taga DFA. Ang sabi ng mga taga DFA, during the time, this was the time of President Aquino, it will weaken our case. Because precisely, the rocks, the features that are being reclaimed, etc., malakas ang kaso natin. Nasunod po yung military at tingin ko tama naman. But none of us told yung mga taga DFA na pro-China kayo for having a different opinion. Diba? None of us. Why? Kasi iba't trabaho ng DFA sa DND. Iba't trabaho ng DND sa Coast Guard. So, Mr. President, dapat burahin na natin yung nag-discuss tayo ng maayos. Napikon ka sa statement ng iba. Reresbak ang Senado. Buti nga, sinasagot kayo eh. Mas malaking insulto kung hindi kayo sinagot eh. Sinagot kayo, edi magsagotan kayo. Pero gusto nyo, buong Senado ang reresbak nyo. Ako, kung may kadibate akong embassy, kami lang yun. Kung kailangan ako tulong ni Brother Robin or ni Senator Mancoleta, kakalabitin ko, tulungan. Pero hindi ako mag-file ng resolution sa Senado para sa tulungan nyo kami, bugbog  kami sa China. Tapos, pagka hindi ka pumirma, pro-China ka. China lang ang lumalaki dito."

MARCOLETA DENIES ADVOCATING GIVING UP KIG

Meanwhile, Senator Rodante Marcoleta denies advocating that the Philippines give up the Kalayaan Island Group.

Marcoleta said he was merely explaining his point that the Philippines cannot use the Kalayaan Island Group to expand its exclusive economic zones.

Marcoleta said Kalayaan Island Group is squarely within Philippine territory but neither international law nor the Philippines arbitral award only covers the seas.

"Pero liliwanagin ko po, yung KIG, atin po yun. Ang pinag-uusapan natin, land features, teritoryo po yun, Mr. President. Ibang bagay yun. Hindi ko po sinasabang hindi atin yun. Ngunit dahil ang pinag-uusapan natin, West Philippines, yung katubigan natin, imposible pong i-connect natin yung ating exclusive economics at ituloy po natin doon sa territorial sea na generate po ng napakaraning features. Magkakamali po tayo, yun ang pinagbabawalan tayo. "

"Ngayon, bakit po nung nag-hearing tayo sa CA, paano ko po nasabi na imposible yun kako doon sa representative ng Armed forces mahihirapan po kayo imposible dahil malalabag po natin ang napakarami artikulo ng UNCLOS. Hindi po natin may-enclose, hindi po natin makokonek yung territorial seas nung napakaraming features na yun na ating in-occupy. Magkakamali po tayo at baka sakali kung gusto ninyong gawin, we cannot do that unless, sabi ko, we give up our itong KIG. Hindi ko po sinasabi na i-give up natin. "

"I am only trying to reinforce the argument na hindi at imposible natin gawin sapagkat atin yung teritoryo pero sa tubig hindi po natin pwedeng itagos yung mga baselines dahil magkakasala tayo at lalabag po tayo sa UNCLOS mismo. Andami po ngayong mga gumagawa ng kung ano-anong salita. Sumama na nga po yung napakaraming tao na sinasabi ko raw, i-give up natin ang KIG. "

"Mr. President, kahit kailan hindi po sinabi yun. Teritoryo po yun, land features po yun, hindi sakop po ng arbitral tribunal. Ang sinasakop lang po ng tribunal, yung tubig po. Kaya lang magkaintindihan tayo. Hindi ko sinasabing hindi atin yun. Teritoryo na natin yun dahil occupied na po natin yun. Ngunit ang pinag-uusapan lang po, yung tubig nila, hindi natin pwedeng i-connect doon sa ating exclusive economic zone. Kasalanan po yun. Mali po yun. Kaya yung managsasabi po na ayun po, dahil inaadvocate ko rin po na i-give up natin. Saan naman po kayo nakakita ng gano'n, Mr. President? Andami pang AIs ngayon, nabanggit na rin po kanina.

"Chinador po kami daw, kami po ay mga traidor. Paano po bang magiging traidor ang isang tao? Nililinaw lang po  na sinasabi natin kung gusto natin magkaroon ng West Philippine Sea, o di makiusap tayo. Siguro, pag-usapan natin sa pamagitan ng United Nations na pwede po ba namin gamitin yung ilang mapa na ido drawing namin. At kung inaakala po ninyong mahaba po yung pagitan, nakakita po kami ng malilit na isla na pwede namin pagpatungan. At yung pong land to water ratio, maaari po namin magawan ng paraan. Ganon po siguro pero hindi yung automatic po tatagos tayo sa mga ganong klaseng batuhan ipilit po natin. "

"Hanggang sa ngayon po, Mr. President, kaya hindi ma-define ma-define-define ang West Philippine Sea. Sabi ko nga po, hanggang ngayon ay walang ginagawang mapa kahit nasabihin pa nilang merong mapa. Hindi po totoo yun. Mr. President, kahit ngayon pwede po ninyong konsultahin yung tinatawag nilang DOALOS, Mr. President. Ito po yung Division for Ocean Affairs and the Law of the Sea na nasa opisina ng United Nations. Wala pong nasasubmit ang NAMRIA. 14 years ago, inorderan na po silang magsubmit. Bakit hindi po sila makapagsubmit? Dahil sa hirap nga po nito, hindi po pwedeng i-connect, Mr. President. Yun lamang po. Kaya, huwag po nilang ipipilit na ako po ay traidor o kaya makapro-China. Hindi po. Mr. President, naghahanap lang po tayo ng katarungan at katwiran dito. Kailangan, maabisuhan po natin ang Coast Guard na kung ano man ang kanilang pinagsasabi dito, e nagkakamali po kayo sapagkat wala pa pong West Philippines, wala pa po tayong mapa."

"Ang West Philippines, nakakaintindihan po tayo, gusto nating gawin, gusto nating idrawing, pero pagsikapan po natin kung paano natin talaga idrawing sa harap ng napakaraming legal impediments na nakaharap sa atin. Iyon po yung gusto kong linawin, Mr. President."

Marcoleta explained how the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea generates EEZs.

"Number one, yung UNCLOS po hindi tayo papayagan. Kasi po, yung Article 7 po ng UNCLOS, Mr. President, ito po yung tinatawag na straight baselines. Mavaviolate po yun kapag kinonnect po natin yung features outside our EEZ sa ng mga straight lines dahil yung straight baselines po natin magdi-depart po sa appreciable part ng ating yung general direction ng ating coast. Yun po yung sinasabi ng Article 7. Dahil po kasi sa layo nila 200, more than 200 nautical miles from our EEZ. Pagkatapos po yung Article 47, Mr. President, ito po yung archipelagic baselines. Mabaviolate po, ito po yung sinasabi nating ratio of water to land."

"Dahil nga po, hindi pinapayagang dapat magkakalayo yung features at may-encircle mo sila to treat them as one group of islands. Hindi sila pwedeng i-classify na isang unit lamang para lang mag-generate ng sarili nilang maritime space."

Marcoleta said international law prevents the Philippines from taking over high seas.

He said the same applies to China.

"Sinabi rin po niya sa China yun eh. Meski na ikaw China, sabi niya, you cannot regard this Spratlys as one group of islands or to regard it as one unit dahil hindi ka naman archipelagic country. China, sabi niya, ikaw ay isang continental state. So kapwa po tayo, pinagbawalan. Ano po ang aking gustong palabasin dito, Mr. President? Hindi po natin pwedeng saklawin yung KIG."

Marcoleta explained his controversial remarks before a hearing of the Commission on Appointments last week. Marcoleta said the military officers facing confirmation did not appear to know that KIG was outside the exclusive economic zone.

Marcoleta called out the cacophony of opinions which he believes muddled the issue.

"Isa po sa taong sumawsaw sa issue, Mr. President, ay yung dating Justice ng Korte Suprema, si Justice Carpio, at saka yung isang profesor yata ng Universidad ng Pilipinas, nagngaangalang Jay Batongbacal. Napakasimple po ng gusto ko lamang pong matukoy noon, Mr. President, na dahil nga po sa mga batas na ginawa natin, nung dinidefine natin ang West Philippine Sea, isinama po natin yung Kalayaan Island Group."

"Kung isama po yung Kalayaan Island Group, nakalimutan po nila na yung ibang features na sinasakop po ng ating bansa. Halimbawa po yung Pag-asa, yung Parola, yung Kota, yung Langkiam. Ito po ay dalawang daan nautical miles away from the baseline ay from the EEZ. Kaya nasa labas po sila."