Zarate claims China's brazenness could worsen if Marcos Jr. wins presidential race

Bayan Muna party-list Representative Carlos Zarate on Monday claimed that China's aggressiveness in the West Philippine Sea could worsen if presidential aspirant Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. wins in Eleksyon 2022.

Zarate's remark came after the Philippine Coast Guard said that “a close distance maneuvering” incident involving a Chinese Coast Guard (CCG) vessel took place on March 2 during a maritime patrol operation.

According to the PCG, CCG vessel 3305 was moving approximately 21 yards towards BRP Malabrigo (MRRV-4402) in the waters of Bajo de Masinloc (Panatag Shoal) during the incident.

Zarate said China was emboldened to do this because of the "Janus-faced foreign policy of the Duterte administration, which dangerously plays footsies with two competing imperialist powers."

"Tragically, this is the same two-faced policy of the Duterte administration that again allowed the resumption of the Balikatan military exercises that will make the Philippines a continuing pawn in the hegemonic wars of the United States," Zarate said.

"Make no mistake, this kind of aggressiveness will worsen if the next administration will again kowtow to China and may lead to more encroachment in our territory. This will clearly happen with a Marcos presidency as he already vowed to continue Duterte's policy," he added.

GMA News Online sought comment from the Marcos camp but they have yet to reply as of posting time.

In a January interview, Marcos said that joint exploration of the West Philippine Sea involving China and other ASEAN countries would be an opportunity for energy production in the Philippines.

Retired Supreme Court (SC) Senior Associate Justice Antonio Carpio had also expressed concern over the country’s sovereignty in the West Philippine Sea if Marcos wins the presidential race, saying that the country would lose the resource-rich region under the latter's leadership.

Marcos' spokesman, Attorney Vic Rodriguez, earlier said the integrity of the national territory and our sovereignty were non-negotiable, noting that the interests of the Filipino people were first and foremost to Marcos. — DVM, GMA News