MANILA — Senators on Tuesday took turns condemning Chinese forces’ August 5 "bullying" of the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) and a resupply team heading to BRP Sierra Madre in Ayungin Shoal, in the West Philippine Sea.

What happened last Saturday requires a unified and fast action to improve the capabilities of the Department of National Defense (DND) and the PCG, according to senators.

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Sen. Jinggoy Estrada, chairperson of the Senate Committee on National Defense and Security, Peace, Unification and Reconciliation, stressed the need to fortify the country’s defenses.

“It is high time that we get our acts together, fortify our defense establishment – from the strengthening of the defense organization and make it responsive to the call of the times and enable them to fully and effectively perform their mandate as protector of the State, our sovereignty, and the people, up to the upgrading of our military assets, not to proceed to war nor provoke further aggression, but to stand up and be able to defend ourselves, and to deter all kinds of threats coming from all fronts,” Estrada said.

Sen. Robin Padilla said the West Philippine Sea incident should serve as a wake-up call to everyone and that it’s a must to train the youth on how to defend the country.

He claimed the incident should be basis for the revival of the Reserved Officers’ Training Corps.

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According to DND Senior Undersecretary Irineo Espino, 85 countries in the world have mandatory military training policy, including Israel, Turkey, South Korea, and Cyprus.

Estrada and Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri believe that the military and PCG should be allowed to buy state-of-the art second-hand equipment, which is less expensive than new ones.

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“We need to arm our coast guard. Our ships cannot stay for a long period of time in open water... ang China vessel ang laki, kaya they can stay for months. We don’t want any trouble, but we must be prepared for any eventually,” Zubiri said.

GETTING EVEN

Meanwhile, some senators want to "get even" with China by targeting its business interests.

For Sen. Risa Hontiveros, banning the state-owned Chinese Communication Construction Company (CCCC) from operating in the Philippines would be one way of telling China that the country "will not tolerate any abuse anymore."

“China is not a friend. She is not even a good neighbor. Hindi tayo papayag na wala tayong gawin habang inaabuso at inaalipusta niya ang ating mga kababayan sa sarili nating karagatan,” Hontiveros said.

“The CCCC is a predatory company. It works in conjunction with the Chinese maritime militia to deliberately destroy coral reefs in the WPS and poach endangered giant clams. It acts in the guise of a legitimate business, but it is only aiding the Chinese state in its creeping invasion. Kasabwat siya sa pagnanakaw ng ating mga teritoryo sa WPS. Dapat lang na palayasin na sa bansa,” she added.

Sen. Raffy Tulfo, on the other hand, believes that transmitters owned by Chinese companies positioned inside military camps must be removed, and China-made gadgets should no longer be used, especially by government agencies.

“I consulted with the DICT (Department of Information and Communications Technology) and they confirmed, mayroon ngang risk na i-allow natin ang China na mag-put up ng telecom sa kampo natin na military... andoon ang risk na madali silang mag-eavesdrop sa atin... please lang pakibaklas na ang computers na nasa loob ng military facility,” Tulfo said.

Sen. Francis Tolentino also urged the DND to investigate reports that the AFP is sending cadets to a Chinese military school.

“May allowance 'yun. May billeting, lodging accommodation... there, you must learn to sing China’s national anthem. This is alarming. We are alarmed. We are reviving the ROTC and here we are, sending our cadets to China. They are not there just to learn Chinese culinary and learn to use the chopsticks,” Tolentino remarked.

Espino promised to verify Tolentino’s allegation.

KEEP YOUR COOL

Amid the agitation being felt by many senators, two of their colleagues opted to remain cool and adopt a diplomatic stance.

Sen. Christopher Go, who is closely associated with former president Rodrigo Duterte, appealed to China to value the “respect” that the latter extended to Beijing.

“Stop bullying us. Naging mabuti naman po ang ating gobyerno ni Pangulong Duterte sa inyo... tigilan niyo na po ang pambu-bully ninyo sa ating coast guard, sa ating mga mangingisda,” Go told reporters.

• 'Stop bullying us': Duterte ally Go hits China after water canon incident in West PH Sea

Meanwhile, Sen. Imee Marcos reiterated her call for sobriety.

“Ang paniwala ko, sa yamot natin sa kanila (China), sa galit natin sa pambu-bully sa ating mga mangingisda at mga sundalo at coast guard, ang totoo kinakailangan talagang ma-deescalate mabawasan ang tensiyon diyan. Kasi wala talagang mangyayari sa giyera kung hindi gulo, kamatayan,” Marcos in a separate interview, said.

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US SENATOR VISITS PH SENATE

Hours before the Senate’s Monday session, US Senator Tammy Duckworth visited the Senate and met with Senators Zubiri, Loren Legarda and Tolentino.

The meeting, which was also joined by US Ambassador to the Philippines Marykay Carlson, centered on the cooperation of the Philippines and the United States on the defense, energy especially the renewable energy, environment and trade, according to Zubiri.

“She (Duckworth) shares our strong resolve to pursue Freedom of Navigation and the Rule of Law as dictated by the UNCLOS. She relayed that the US is squarely behind their oldest treaty ally when it comes to protecting our sovereignty in the WPS,” Zubiri, in a statement to journalists said.

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