Marcoleta says 'traitor' posts should've been corrected; PCG spox says no obligation

Sagip party-list Representative Rodante Marcoleta on Tuesday said Philippine Coast Guard spokesperson Commodore Jay Tarriela should have corrected social media users who called the lawmaker a traitor for saying that the "West Philippine Sea" was a fiction.

During the House probe into the proliferation of disinformation online—during which both were present—Marcoleta insisted that it was Tarriela’s responsibility to call out the netizens.

“Ngayon po, ‘yung isang Commodore, tinawag po niya ako na traitor nang hindi po niya tinignan yung konteksto ng pinag-uusapan. Bakit po hindi niyo ipaliwanag sa buong mundo na pinatatala na natin yung West Philippine Sea pero hindi natin maitala. Matagal na pong panahon na pilit nating ipinatatala, hindi pa po naipatatala. Kaya sa ngayon hindi po nire-recognize,” Marcoleta said, reiterating that the West Philippine Sea should be listed by the intergovernmental International Hydrographic Organization.

(Now, a certain commodore called me a traitor without looking at the context of the discussion. Why don't you explain to the whole world that we have the West Philippine Sea listed but we still have not done it? We have tried to get it listed for a long time, so until now it has not been recognized.)

“I was called a traitor and that my statement is a disservice to the nation. It came from no less than the spokesman of the Philippine Coast Guard. I believe he is here. You said that you did not say that I am a traitor, but it is on social media. Did you make an effort to clarify that so that you could not mislead people because they might believe that you have said that? It is only now that you are disowning this statement,” he added.

At a House hearing on February 4, Marcoleta said, “There is nothing as 'West Philippine Sea.' Wala po ‘yun. [There is no such thing.] That is a creation by us. Kahit basahin yung ating mapa [Even if we look at our maps] or what there is, no West Philippine Sea.”

Tarriela responded to Marcoleta by saying he never called the lawmaker a traitor, and quoted his post on X which was a response to Marcoleta's remark:

"I stand by the statement of President Bongbong Marcos when he said, 'Ang West Philippine Sea ay hindi katang-isip natin lamang. Ito ay mananatiling atin hanggang nag-aalab ang diwa ng ating minamahal na bansang Pilipinas.

"Hearing someone claim that the West Philippine Sea is merely a fabrication of the Philippine government is a disservice and an embarrassment to their entire party, the organization he belonged to, and even their own family.”

The last part of Tarriela's post reads: "How can one face the younger generations today and tell them that our Exclusive Economic Zone to the west of our archipelago is nonexistent, effectively giving up the fight to assert their rights as Filipinos in the West Philippine Sea?"

Addressing the congressman, the commodore went on. 

“The Honorable Marcoleta, sir, let's put it on record, I did not use the word 'traitor' in describing your statement that the West Philippine Sea ay kathang-isip lamang po [was just a figment of the imagination],” Tarriela said.

Marcoleta pressed on and asked Tarriela when did he say the West Philippine Sea was a figment of the imagination.

Tarriela replied, “I said I stand by the statement of the President. I did not mention you said it, sir. The 'kathang-isip' phrase was the President's statement during his SONA [State of the Nation Address].”

In his annual speech to Congress, Marcos said, “Ang West Philippine Sea ay hindi isang kathang-isip natin lamang.” (The West Philippine Sea is not merely a figment of the imagination.)

Marcoleta then went back to his IHO argument and tried to get Tarriela to agree with him that the administrative order issued by President Benigno Aquino III calling the area of the South China Sea with the Philippines' exclusive economic zone the 'West Philippine Sea' was not enough and that legislation was needed to have it listed in the IHO.

Tarriela, however, did not back down.

“No, sir. I did not say that you're correct. I will not agree that you're correct. The West Philippine Sea is our exclusive economic zone,” Tarriela said.

Marcoleta countered that he was not disputing that the area was the Philippines' exclusive economic zone, but only that the West Philippine Sea must be listed by the IHO. He then questioned why Tarriela did not respond to social media users calling Marcoleta a traitor.

“Hindi ka man lang, hindi ka man lang gumawa ng effort, for example, na, I did not say that. Ngayon mo lang sinasabi. But you know people are bashing me that I am pro-China. When is the last time or the first time that I am pro-China?” Marcoleta said.

(You didn't even make the effort [to say], for example, that I didn't say that. You're only saying that now.)

Tarriela again said that he never called Marcoleta a traitor.

"Pero hindi ka nagbigay ng paliwanag, na sinabi mo sana doon sa social media rin, 'Bakit niyo ina-ascribe sa akin na sinabi ko na traitor si Congressman Marcoleta? I did not say that.' It is only now that you are explaining na wala kang sinabi," Marcoleta returned.

(But you did not explain. You should have said on social media, 'Why are you ascribing to me that I said Congressman Marcoleta is a traitor? I did not say that.' But it is only now that you are explaining that you didn't say it.)

“Nandun yung litrato mo [Your photo is there] and they claim that I am a traitor. Ngayon ka lang nagpapaliwanag [Only now you are clarifying] that I am not a traitor. Pero nangyari ‘na yun [But that happened],” he added.

Tarriela said he was not obligated to respond.

“I don't think that I'm under any obligation to respond to all those social media posts. I am not under obligation to tell all the social media influencers, bloggers, defend your name, tell them that you are not a traitor. Again, I did not mention that you are a traitor. It's not, those words did not come from me,” Tarriela said.

Addressing the committee chair, Marcoleta added, "It is true Mr. Chair that he did not call me a traitor but it continues to be there and to be consumed by the public through social media. I think it is his responsibility to deny it if it did not come from him."

"Is it not important to you to correct something that did not originate from you?" he asked Tarriela.

Tarriela said that he only came to know about it when Marcoleta called him "gago" and "mangmang" in remarks on February 10.

“Why would I even defend you if you're calling me gago and mangmang (stupid and ignorant)?” he said.

Marcoleta then said that he was not referring to a person as "gago" but was referring to an action, and ultimately thanked Tarriela for stating for the record that he did not call him a traitor, even belatedly.

“Ngayon, ako nagpapasalamat ako sa iyo. At sinabi mo ngayon at naliwanagan na hindi mo pala sinabi yung I am a traitor. So salamat kahit nahuli. Sabi nga natin, huli man daw at magaling, naihahabol din. Kaya lang ang problema ko ngayon, ‘yun pong kumakalat na akala nila sinabi mo [na traitor ako],” Marcoleta said.

(Now I thank you for saying and clarifying that you did not say I was a traitor. So thank you even though it was late. But my problem now is that is what is being spread around that they think you said I was a traitor.) — BM, GMA Integrated News