MANILA — Several senators on on Sunday defended their decision to wear West Philippine Sea shirts during the FIBA match between the Philippines and China on Saturday, saying it was part of their freedom to express "unity" in the issue.

Senate President Migz Zubiri and senators Ronald Dela Rosa, Christopher "Bong" Go, and Joel Villanueva wore matching West Philippine Sea shirts during the game, where Gilas crushed China, 96-75.

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Dela Rosa said their choice of apparel was meant "to awaken the patriotic spirit of our Gilas Pilipinas and motivate them to exhaust all their remaining talents, skills and teamwork in order to secure the victory which is symbolic for us Filipinos in light of the recent developments in the West Philippine Sea."

Go, meanwhile, said he was only handed the shirt by a colleague.

"Nais lang namin ipakita sa pamamagitan ng T-shirt na iyon ang aming pakikiisa at walang tigil na suporta sa ating koponan at sa buong sambayanang Pilipino. Atin ang West Philippine Sea, atin rin ang panalong ito," he said in a statement.

(We only wanted to show through that shirt out support for our team and the Filipino people. The West Philippine Sea is our and that basketball victory is ours, too.)

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Asked if sportsmanship was marred by politics during the match, Sen. Francis Tolentino said everyone has the right to free expression, even in a FIBA game.

"It is one way of showing our unity. Hindi ito first time makita. 'Yung opening game natin sa Philippine Arena, may nakasuot na ng ganoon. Kulay pula nga lang," Tolentino told Teleradyo Serbisyo.

(This is not the first time someone wore this. During the opening game at the Philippine Arena, someone was wearing it, but in red.)

"Walang masama doon sa nagpapakita ng kanilang personal political belief na atin ang West Philippine Sea even if in a sports that is FIBA. I don't see anything wrong with that," he said.

(There is nothing wrong in showing personal political beliefs that the West Philippine Sea is ours, even if it is in a sports match.)

Manila and Beijing are locked in a maritime dispute in the South China Sea, within which is the smaller West Philippine Sea.

China continues to aggressively stake its claims in the area, with the most recent incidents including use of water cannons and blocking the path of Philippine vessels in the Ayungin Shoal.

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Recently, Beijing released a new "standard map" that expanded its claims in the resource-rich waters with a 10-dashed line, supposedly shows China's boundaries in the waterway.

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President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. said the country would respond to China's claims, but declined to immediately give specific details which he said were part of "an operational matter."