WESCOM briefs Leni Robredo on West Philippine Sea, Palawan

PUERTO PRINCESA, Palawan—Vice President Leni Robredo on Thursday visited the Western Command military camp here on Thursday for a briefing on West Philippine Sea and security situation in Palawan.

WESCOM is the Armed Forces of the Philippines’ unified command in charge of the western Philippines including the West Philippine Sea.

WESCOM Deputy Commander, Air Force Brigadier General Sharon Gernale, welcomed Robredo, who was given a two-man guard arrival honors.

"Robredo had a closed-door meeting with the commanders of the WESCOM, Joint Task Force (JTF) Peacock, and JTF Malampaya, where the security situations in Palawan and the West Philippine Sea (WPS) were discussed," Robredo's office said in a statement.

Robredo from WESCOM received tokens which symbolize the command’s mission.

One of them was a “sumpit”, a traditional hunting weapon used by the indigenous people Tao’t Bato, in Rizal, Palawan.

The sumpit is said to depict strength, speed, focus, and accuracy possessed by Filipino warriors.

Robredo was also given “The Palawan Fish”, a pattern carved by the Palao-an Tribe in Quezon, Palawan. The traditional pattern symbolizes abundance of marine resources and serenity.

Meanwhile, Robredo's ally and Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon expressed confidence that more local officials will throw their support behind Robredo's 2022 presidential bid given her recent nine-point rise in pre-election Pulse Asia pill.

“This increase in survey ratings is backed up by actual warm bodies on the ground,” Drilon said in a statement.

“I think more local officials will heed what their conscience and constituents are telling them, and that is to get behind a candidate who walks the talk and is the most principled among those who are running,” he added.

Drilon said such mutual meeting of the minds is not transactional.

“No exchange deal, only the promise that a Robredo presidency will fight for the people and give our children a better future,” Drilon said. —NB, GMA News