Surigao del Norte 2nd District Representative Robert Ace Barbers on Saturday described the claim of China over the Julian Felipe Reef and the rest of the West Philippine Sea (WPS) as “a grave insult, revolting and sickening”.
“For hundreds of years, China never laid claim on these territories within the West Philippine Sea which are part of our Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) and recognized by international bodies and many countries,’’ Barbers also said.
‘’Suddenly and just recently, it was like magic that the entire West Philippine Sea became theirs. This method or process of annexation should never be countenanced, not by any self-respecting Philippine government nor any sovereign nation and international body for that matter,’’ he stressed.
‘’We will not be bullied,’’ Barber said.
The lawmaker said that it will be a "affront" to Filipinos who have died for the country's sovereignty and freedom if the government continues to allow China's incursions.
‘’We should not have allowed a single pail of concrete or a piece of nail to touch our sacred land. Now that they have built complete concrete structures and encircled our territory with their militia ships, we should not and cannot simply keep quiet and allow a creeping invasion to happen right under our noses," he appealed.
Barbers said that he commends Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana for earlier demanding the Chinese vessels in the Julian Felipe Reef to leave the Philippines' territory.