House Speaker Martin Romualdez (Speaker’s office)

House Speaker Martin Romualdez says he wants to have "protocols" set up with "friends" from the Chinese Embassy regarding the presence of Chinese vessels within Philippine territory. 

Romualdez made this statement Thursday night, Oct. 5 during a press conference at the Manila Golf and Country Club, Makati City. 

That same morning, Romualdez led a small group of congressmen in a visit to Pag-asa Island in the West Philippine Sea (WPS). 

"We had a nice large Philippine naval ship casting very, very large shadow in the horizon," the House leader said of the trip to Pag-asa. 

"But in the opposite side, there was a--we noticed a white Chinese ship and some militia ships. Obviously within Philippine territory," he noted. 

"So tinanong ko kay Vice Admiral Carlos kung naghingi ng permiso. Hindi pa yata (So I asked Vice Admiral Carlos if permission was asked. Probably not yet)," a smiling Romualdez said. 

"Kaya siguro naman (That's why) we want to also engage also our friends here from the Chinese Embassy and perhaps we can have conversations on how we can actually have protocols within the areas of Philippine territorial integrity," he said. 

Accompanying the solons during their sea voyage was Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Chief of Staff Romeo Brawner Jr. 

Romualdez, president of the Lakas-Christian Muslim Democrats (Lakas-CMD), said Brawner's presence throughout the trip made him and his colleagues feel "very safe".