Solons push through with Spratlys visit

(Updated 11:17 a.m.) Despite opposition from Chinese officials and the House leadership, four lawmakers on Wednesday pushed through with their visit to the disputed Spratly Islands in the West Philippine Sea (South China Sea). Ifugao Rep. Teodoro Brawner Baguilat, Eastern Samar Rep. Ben Evardone, and Akbayan Representatives Walden Bello and Arlene Bag-ao flew to Palawan from a hangar in Manila at 7 a.m. Wednesday via private chartered planes. They arrived in Puerto Princesa City an hour later to refuel, then proceeded en route to the Kalayaan Islands, where they are scheduled to arrive at past 10 a.m. DIWA party-list Rep. Emmeline Aglipay, who was originally scheduled to join the trip, got sick and was not able to make it to the flight. The lawmakers were accompanied by Marine Commandant Major General Juancho Sabban, Palawan Governor Abraham Mitra, and members of the media. Bello said they are expected to go near the Chinese-occupied Mischief Reef, fly over the Recto Bank (Reed Bank), then proceed to Pag-asa Island. Akbayan party-list communications officer Emman Hizon clarified the contingency will fly over these areas “just to get a glimpse" of the territories and "not in a provocative way." Right to visit Bello maintained that the lawmakers have the right to visit the Kalayaan Islands, since it is currently considered part of the province of Palawan. "We have a mayor there. There are more than 200 Filipino souls living there. My God, there’s even a communication tower in the island from a Philippine-based telecommunications. We have every right as Filipino citizens to visit Philippine territory," he said in a statement Wednesday. He reiterated that the trip, which they call a “peace and sovereignty mission," was an important way of gathering information to build up the country’s defense in the area. "(General) Sabban has emphasized the need to devote national resources to defending and developing the Spratlys in a peaceful way. The importance of diplomatic and multilateral negotiation is something that comes across as very important in the resolution of the West Philippine Sea conflicts," Bello said in a separate text message. He likewise described the Chinese government’s opposition to the trip as "baseless" and "absurd." "For the Chinese government to say that our trip will undermine and sabotage bilateral ties is baseless, absurd and arrogant," he said. Opposition The trip pushed through despite opposition from Chinese Embassy in Manila spokesperson Ethan Sun, who said that the visit "goes against the spirit" of the Declaration of Conduct of Parties to the South China Sea. House Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr., meanwhile, said the trip will not yield long-term solutions to the territorial dispute between the Philippines and China. He advised his colleagues to leave the matter to the Department of Foreign Affairs and the Armed Forces of the Philippines. Presidential spokesperson Edwin Lacierda, for his part, said the trip will not affect diplomatic ties between the Philippines and China. He added that the executive branch respects the independence of the legislature. The Spratlys, a group of islets in the West Philippine Sea (South China Sea) and believed to be rich in oil and gas deposits, are being claimed in whole or in part by China, Taiwan, Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei, and the Philippines. — RSJ, GMA News