Amid the ongoing dispute between China and the Philippines over sovereignty in the South China Sea, the Philippine Senate officially adopted Resolution No. 256 proposed by Senator Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan during a plenary session on Monday, February 9th.
The resolution strongly condemns the recent disrespectful remarks made by the Chinese Embassy in Manila towards several members of the parliament and government officials, emphasizing the defense of the legislative independence and national sovereignty in the West Philippine Sea during heightened tensions.
The resolution garnered broad bipartisan support in the Senate, with signatures from prominent figures including Senate President Vicente Sotto III, Acting Senate Majority Leader Panfilo Lacson, and Majority Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri.
The resolution was prompted by the Chinese Embassy’s earlier naming and criticism of Pangilinan, Risa Hontiveros, Erwin Tulfo, and other legislators. These lawmakers were verbally attacked by the Chinese Embassy for publicly defending the Philippines’ rights in the West Philippine Sea (WPS).
In his inquiry, Pangilinan pointed out that while the Philippines subjectively hopes to separate maritime disputes from economic and trade relations, it will never compromise sovereignty for economic benefits. The stance will be firm when national interests are at stake.
He emphasized, “When Chinese interests conflict with ours, we clearly stand firm on the side of national interests.”
The resolution clearly states that the Senate fully supports the recent statements by the Department of National Defense (DND) and the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), reaffirming sovereignty claims in the West Philippine Sea. The Senate sends a unified message to protect Filipino fishermen and Philippine Coast Guard personnel from harassment and pressure by China in the region.
This legislative action marks a high level of alignment between the Philippine legislative body and defense system, conveying a firm stance that “while diplomacy is important, sovereignty is non-negotiable.”