MANILA, Philippines — Sen. Panfilo Lacson highlighted what he said was the need for "balance of power in the West Philippine Sea" for the Philippines to exercise its sovereign rights in its exclusive economic zone following a series of radio challenges from Chinese military personnel.
Lacson had previously called for support from the Philippines' allies to keep smaller countries from being bullied in the South China Sea, part of which is the West Philippine Sea.
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The statement comes after the presidential candidate was told to vacate the area during his flight to Pag-asa Island in Kalayaan town, Palawan last Saturday.
Per reports, Chinese maritime personnel radioed Lacson’s plane the following message: “You are approaching our military zone. Please stay away from the area and leave immediately. Your actions are unfriendly and dangerous.”
“This is Chinese Navy. You are approaching our military alert zone. Leave immediately in order to avoid misjudgment,” the radio message added.
In a statement sent to media Monday morning, Lacson, who chairs the Senate Committee on National Defense and Security, called the incident "totally unacceptable, even pathetic, on the part of our people involved in the resupply mission to Ayungin Shoal."
"Being radio challenged by a Chinese Coast Guard vessel stationed more than three nautical miles off the coast of Pag-asa, I never considered backing out. Aside from the possibility of being fired at being remote, this is my country, not theirs. They had no right. That was my mindset," he said.
"This is my country and no foreign armed forces can tell me to stay out."
To recall, Chinese Coast Guard vessels blocked and used water cannons at Filipino-manned vessels on a resupply mission to the BRP Sierra Madre near the Ayungin Shoal last week.
Lacson in his statement also said that the challenge from one of the Chinese vessels occurred as they were approaching the airstrip in the island.
As they landed at the airstrip, he claimed he also received a text message saying: "Welcome to China."
Only a few days earlier, Chinese Coast Guard vessels blocked and fired water cannons at two Philippine vessels transporting supplies to military personnel in Ayungin Shoal.
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The European Union on Monday expressed its "strong opposition to any unilateral actions that endanger peace, security and stability in the region and the international rules-based order." The US, the Philippines' former colonizer and current military ally, over the weekend said that "should not interfere with lawful Philippine activities in the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone."
Lacson said over the weekend: "Today, I planted our country’s flag with our patriotic soldiers in Pag-asa Island, municipality of Kalayaan in the West Philippines Sea in front of the Chinese Coast Guard ships more than 3 nautical miles away."
Lacson, in a meeting with law enforcement official, suggested they "influence our national leadership" to go in the direction of maintaining a balance of power through expanded alliances with better-equipped countries that "espouse freedom of navigation in the West Philippine Sea."
Former PNP chief and senatorial aspirant Guillermo Eleazar was also with Lacson's party during the incident.
"Our stand to assert our sovereignty does not necessarily translate to war like what other people think," said Eleazar in a separate statement.
"We already won the case and we will support any move for dialogues and to seek the support of the international community, particularly our allies, in ensuring both the freedom of navigation and bring back the normalcy on our traditional fishing rights."
In 2016, the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague invalidated China's sweeping claims over the said waters. Beijing has since refused to recognize the ruling.
President Rodrigo Duterte has repeatedly said that asserting the country's rights over its EEZ would lead to armed conflict with China. — with reports from Bella Perez-Rubio and Patricia Lourdes Viray