Senator Risa Hontiveros. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO / RICHARD A. REYES
Opposition Senator Risa Hontiveros on Sunday called for a review of the Philippines’ bilateral relationship with China as she prodded the Duterte administration to take China’s nuclear threat to the United Nations (UN).
“A review of our bilateral relationship with China is in order. We can’t call a country that robs us of our islands and threatens us with nuclear war a friend,” Senator Risa Hontiveros said in a statement.
Hotinveros’ statement was issued amid reports that China’s People’s Liberation Army Air Force announced that some of its bombers recently conducted takeoff and landing training on islands in South China Sea.
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The senator said China’s virtual threat of nuclear war over the West Philippine Sea was “unacceptable.”
“By placing our country within striking distance of its nuclear-capable bombers, China has virtually threatened us with nuclear war over the West Philippine Sea,” she said.
She stressed that China’s behavior in the disputed waters was an assault on our Constitution and “a direct violation of internationally-recognized treaties to which we are a signatory.”
Hontiveros then called on the government to sponsor a resolution before the UN General Assembly condemning Beijing’s threat of nuclear war against the country.
“The Philippines must sponsor a resolution before the UN condemning China’s threat of nuclear war against the Philippines and demand that it comply with the ruling of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea arbitral tribunal,” she said.
The senator pointed out that under Article II, Section 8 of the Philippine Constitution, the country must adopt and pursue “a policy of freedom from nuclear weapons in its territory.”
She also reminded the administration that Manila is a signatory to Bangkok Treaty establishing a Southeast Asian Nuclear-Weapon-Free Zone. /je