Lawmakers backed the proposed termination of all gov't contracts with Chinese firms involved in the reclamation of disputed islands in the West Philippine Sea.

Samar Rep. Edgar Mary Sarmiento, chairperson of the House Committee on Transportation, and House Deputy Minority leader and Bayan Muna partylist Rep. Carlos Isagani Zarate backed Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) Secretary Teodoro Locsin who said that he would strongly recommend that the government terminate all its projects with Chinese companies involved in the reclamation at the West Philippine Sea.

“I fully support Secretary Locsin if he would recommend the termination of all local contracts involving companies that enabled the Chinese government to reclaim and build structures in our territories. Allowing these Chinese companies to operate here is way too much of an insult for all Filipinos,” Sarmiento said in a statement.

He expressed hope that President Duterte would give in to Locsin’s recommendation, as it would "put absolute clarity on the government’s foreign policy towards China that while we embrace them as allies, we also have our patriotic duty to assert our sovereign rights.”

The House leader said by terminating all the government contracts involving Chinese firms that were involved in the WPS reclamation, the Philippines will show its solidarity with the global community in opposing Chinese aggression at the West Philippine Sea.

Sarmiento cited the need to conduct an audit of all government projects that involve contractors which may have connections with the companies that took part in the reclamation projects.

"The Bureau of Immigration should also identify personalities who are working for these companies and should be deported right away,” he said.

Zarate called on the Chief Executive to “heed” Locsin’s position to ban the 24 Chinese firms involved in the construction of militarized islands in the West Philippine Sea, and even proposed that the Chinese companies involved in onerous deals like the Kaliwa Dam and Chico Dam projects should also be banned.

"Di lang dapat ang mga kompanyang kasangkot sa pananakop ng ating mga teritoryo sa West Philippine Sea ang patalsikin sa Pilipinas kundi maging ang mga kumpanyang kasangkot sa mga maanomalyang kontrata tulad ng China Energy Engineering Corp. Limited," the Davao-based solon said in a separate statement.

(Not just the companies involved in the reclamation of our territories in the West Philippine Sea should be banned from the Philippines, but also the companies involved in the anomalous contract like the Chinese Energy Engineering Corp. Limited.)

"The Duterte adminstration apparently already pre-selected this contractors that will implement these Kaliwa and Chico projects. This is a violation of our procurement laws, as well as violation of the Constitution that mandates a preference for Filipino contractors and workers who are equally, if not more than qualified,” the Deputy Minority leader said.