00:00Senator Rodante Marcoleta needs to know the approximate size of the country's maritime territory, dubbed the West Philippine Sea.
00:07Meanwhile, his colleague on the other side of the fence insists on finding a way to uphold the legitimacy of the 2016 Permanent Court of Arbitration ruling,
00:16granting sovereignty over the West Philippine Sea, which China continues to violate.
00:22Our Luisa Arispe on the heated debate in the Senate yesterday between the two senators, which had to be adjourned.
00:30The heated debate between Senator Rodante Marcoleta and Senator Kiko Panghelinan over the West Philippine Sea continued today, marking a second round of intense exchanges.
00:40During the plenary session discussing the Resolution No. 256, the discussion started with reiteration of yesterday's arguments,
00:48focusing on the exact coordinates that define the scope of the Philippines' exclusive economic zone within the said waters.
00:55However, Senator Marcoleta clarified that his stance should not be mistaken for supporting China.
01:02Hindi ko po kailanman dinindipensa ng China. Gusto kong palakasin ang ating paninindigan dito.
01:08Bakit hindi po tayo magkaintindihan ay napakasimple lang noon?
01:11Wala pong coordinates talaga. Ang mapalang po ang magbibigay ng coordinates.
01:16Senator Kiko Panghelinan answered by citing the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea or UNCLOS,
01:23asserting that the Philippines' rights over the West Philippine Sea are already firmly established.
01:28Kahit na magdebate tayo hanggang, sabi ko nga, kingdom come, tungkol dito sa meets and bounds na ito,
01:36hindi magbabago yung arbitral ruling na sinasabing mali ang China,
01:42hindi dapat nagtatayo ng mga illegal structures ang China sa ating exclusive economic zone.
01:48The debate took a new turn when Marcoleta raised concerns regarding PCG spokesperson for the West Philippine Sea,
01:55Commodore J. Tariela, who allegedly created caricatures depicting the Chinese president in a negative light.
02:03Meron pang kalakip na mga caricatures portraying their leader in a very negative and, I would say, embarrassing presentation.
02:15Senator Panghelinan offered a simple rebuttal, turning the question back on Marcoleta.
02:22Mr. President, pati ang embassy ng China naglalabas ng caricature din eh, ng ating mga opisyal.
02:28Marcoleta further criticized the near-daily adversarial statements issued by government officials against China.
02:35He represented a compiled list of supposed swipes made by officials since January,
02:41questioning whether these statements are exacerbating tensions rather than helping the situation.
02:47Wala na pong katapusan na pag-iringan at pasaringan na po ito, Mr. President.
02:52Nakakahuli po ba tayo kahit na ilang kilong galunggong lang sa West Philippine Sea?
02:57Bumababa po ba ang presyo ng bilihin dahil sa patutsadahan na ito?
03:02Ito po ba'y makakatulong sa atin?
03:04Instead of opposing the sentiment, Senator Panghelinan expressed a rare moment of agreement regarding the manner of discourse.
03:11We may disagree with a number of his views, but we will agree to disagree with respect.
03:16However, Senate President Soto interjected with a different concern,
03:20questioning the source of the detailed list presented by Senator Marcoleta.
03:24Deliberations on Resolution 256 have once again been suspended
03:52and is expected to resume in the plenary tomorrow.
03:55Luisa Erispe from the National TV Network for a New and Better Philippines.
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