Dela Rosa tells China: Act on PH’s diplomatic protests first

Sen. Ronald “Bato” M. Dela Rosa  (Voltaire F. Domingo/Senate PRIB)

MANILA,  Philippines — Senator Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa on Wednesday countered  China’s claim that its proposals to manage the West Philippine Sea  (WPS) row were “met with some kind of inaction”  by the  Philippine government.

But look who’s talking?

For Dela Rosa, it is Beijing who is sitting on the hundreds of diplomatic protests the Philippines has lodged against China’s continued harassments in the WPS.

READ: DFA questions disclosure of WPS talk details

“Nagre-reklamo sila na hindi tinatanggap natin yung mga proposal nila?  E  bago namin tanggapin yung mga  proposal nyo, you also act on our  protests, we have thousands, hundreds of protests na nila-lodge sa kanila di ba?” Dela Rosa  told reporters in an interview.

(They’re complaining that we’re not accepting their proposals? But before we accept your proposals, you should also act on our protests. We have thousands, hundreds of protests that they’ve lodged against them, right?)

“Gusto nila aksyunan yung mga gusto nila, aksyunan nila yung gusto natin. Hindi  naman one-way yung  relationship natin dapat,” he added.

Dela Rosa once headed the Philippines’ police force  during the time of  former President  Rodrigo Duterte.

The  Department of Foreign Affairs  (DFA) earlier  confirmed receiving “various maritime-related proposals” from China last year but said most of them went against the Philippines’ national interest.

“In no way did the Philippine government ignore China’s proposals,” the DFA stressed in a statement  on  Tuesday.

In the same interview, Dela Rosa was asked about the sightings of more than 50 Chinese vessels  in the WPS.

READ: Over 50 Chinese ships, fishing boats spotted in West Philippine Sea

This news, however,  did not  surprise  him anymore.

“Alam naman natin na nadyan sila palagi (We know that they are always there),” he said.

“We’re running out of options  on how to deal with it,” Dela Rosa added.

The senator was nevertheless comforted by the fact that the  situation in the West Philippine  Sea is now getting international intention  and  that China’s harassments are being exposed.