Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo “Ping” Lacson on Tuesday, March 10, revealed that several talking points used by Senator Rodante Marcoleta regarding the Kalayaan Island Group mirror statements published on the official website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) of the People’s Republic of China.
During his privilege speech, Lacson presented slides comparing Marcoleta’s earlier remarks with statements from a Chinese foreign ministry webpage on the territorial dispute, showing that the talking points closely mirror each other.
Lacson stressed that Marcoleta’s claim disputing the historical basis of the Philippine position on the Kalayaan Island Group closely resembles language appearing on the Chinese government’s official website.
“Curiously, Mr. President, these narratives align with those of the Chinese narratives, plucked directly from the People’s Republic of China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ official website,” Lacson said.
Lacson showed on screen the exact webpage from the Chinese foreign ministry, including the direct link to the page, which contains arguments rejecting the claim that the Kalayaan Island Group was discovered by Filipinos under the principle of terra nullius.
One portion of the Chinese government statement displayed in Lacson’s slide reads that the claim that the Kalayaan Island Group is “terra nullius” discovered by the Philippines is “groundless.”
Lacson said the statements displayed in the slide closely resemble the arguments cited by Marcoleta in earlier discussions about the Philippines’ claims in the West Philippine Sea.
“Kitang kita natin kung anong sinabi ng website ng ministry of foreign affairs ng PROC, yan din ang kanyang sinasabi,” Lacson said.
“On the West Philippines Sea, which side of the South China Sea is Senator Marcoleta on?” Lacson asked. “I think we know the answers, Mr. President.”
