Kiko slams Palace’s ‘nonchalant attitude’ over militarization in South China Sea

Senator Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan on Tuesday slammed the supposed “nonchalant attitude” of Malacañang over reports that Beijing has nearly finished military installations in the disputed South China Sea.

In a statement, Pangilinan said it is disturbing to hear presidential spokesperson Harry Roque’s remarks on the issue.

“We are deeply troubled that instead of expressing outrage, Malacañang displayed a nonchalant attitude in playing down China’s militarization of the entire South China Sea, including the West Philippine Sea,” Pangilinan, president of the former ruling Liberal Party, said.

“It disturbs every Filipino to hear the Malacañang spokesman relying on China’s mere words that it would not reclaim new islands, thus, we can sleep soundly at night. It’s like telling Filipinos not to worry because while China constructed a building, it would only stay on the ground floor,” he said.

Pangilinan said the Duterte administration should protest the “blatant” violations of China, as well as beef up the country’s defenses in guarding what’s left of the Philippines’ territory.

“Because of the initiative of the last administration, the Philippines has secured an arbitral ruling favorable to us. Let’s not make this a mere paper victory by giving China an easy ride through the current administration,” the senator said.

On Monday, Roque said the Philippines will continue to hold on to China's promise that it will not reclaim new islands in the disputed waters of the South China Sea.

Roque said the military build-up by China in the formations claimed by the Philippines started during the Aquino administration.

"So, what do you want us to say? All that we could do is to extract a promise from China not to reclaim any new artificial islands," Roque said.

"If the Aquino administration was not able to do anything about these artificial islands, what they want us to do?" he added. — Kathrina Charmaine Alvarez/RSJ, GMA News