The United States’ move to support the Philippines’ complaints against China is a “welcome development,” Senator Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa said on Wednesday, December 21.

“Salamat, salamat! It’s a welcome development, yang statement ng US Department of State na yan (That statement issued by the US Department of State),” Dela Rosa said in an interview on CNN’s The Source.

Dela Rosa said he fully agrees with the US’ observations that China’s swarming of ports in the Philippine’s maritime territory by Chinese vessels undermines the livelihood of Filipino fishermen and those living in the area.

“I fully agree, totoo talaga yun, kawawa yung ating mga kababayan na mangingisda. Hirap na hirap na makapangisda dun (I fully agree, that's really true, our poor fellow Filipinos who are fishermen. It has become very difficult to for them to fish there),” the senator lamented.

“Yung tropa nga lang natin na andun na sa BRP Sierra Madre, hirap na hirap na tayo na ire-supply dahil hinaharang nila yung ating banka na magre-resuply dun. Kaya talagang tama yung sinasabi ng US Department of State (Even our troops that are already in BRP Sierra Madre, we are having a hard time being resupplied, because they are blocking our ships that would resupply them. So what the US Department of State is saying is absolutely correct),” added the lawmaker.

But with or without the US’ statement of support to the Philippines, Dela Rosa said senators remain firm in their stand to condemn China’s continued bullying and harassment.

The senator is referring to the resolution the Senate had earlier adopted expressing their “disgust” over China’s maneuvers in the South China Sea, especially after Sen. Francis Tolentino showed how a Chinese vessel cut the towing line of a Philippine Navy rubber boat which retrieved the debris from a Chinese Long March 5B rocket that fell within the Pag-asa Islands in the West Philippine Sea.

“With or without the US issuing such statement, tayo ay galit na galit na at nagtitimpi lang sa ginagawa nila...matagal na tayong naiinis sa kanila (we are really furious and we are just holding back against what they are doing to us. We are really disgusted against them),” he said.

Asked if the Upper Chamber will hold a hearing regarding the incident, Dela Rosa said he doesn’t see any need for senators to do so as Chinese officials are likely to snub the Senate hearing.

“Ewan ko kung kelangan pa ng hearing dyan (I don’t know if we need to hold a hearing on that issue). Can we invite those people who are involved?” he said.

“Naka-ilang note verbale, naka ilang protest na tayo (We have sent so many note verbale and protests to them). China will never respect us even if we invite them to the Senate hearings,” he pointed out.

“Instead of reducing their presence at the West Philippine Sea, mas lalo nilang pinapalakas yung kanilang presence diyan. So wala talagang kahahantungan yung ating mga note verbale na yan yung ating mga protest na yan. Wala talagang mangyayari diyan (They strengthened their presence there even more. So our notes verbale and our protests have no end in sight. Nothing really happens there),” the former Philippine National Police (PNP) chief noted.

RELATED STORY: https://mb.com.ph/2022/12/20/us-backs-ph-call-on-china-to-respect-intl-law-after-swarming-incidents/