Hontiveros vows to muster Senate majority support on WPS reso
Senator Risa Hontiveros said on Thursday, June 29 she will strive to get the support of the majority of the members of the Senate on the resolution that seeks to raise the issue of China’s incursions in the West Philippine Sea to the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA).
Sen. Risa Hontiveros (Senate PRIB Photo)
Hontiveros recently filed Senate Resolution No. 659, calling on the Philippine government to sponsor a resolution before the UNGA that will call on China to stop its harassment of Filipino vessels in the WPS. “I am positive that the majority of my colleagues in the Senate will support this resolution. In fact, I look forward to and am grateful for Senate President (Juan Miguel) Migz Zubiri’s text that my resolution will be scheduled for adoption,” Hontiveros said in a statement. The deputy minority leader noted that even Sen. Francis Tolentino, chairman of the Senate Committee on Justice and Human Rights, also express his support to this proposal. “Sen. Francis Tolentino has also expressed his support of this proposal. I am pleased to hear the support of majority senators and am striving to get a consensus,” she stressed. “This bipartisan effort only means one thing: our country is ready to stand as one against Chinese aggression and the senate, divided as we may be on other issues, stands ready to fight for our national sovereignty,” the senator added. The proposal to raise the WPS issue to the UNGA was first put forward by former Senior Associate Justice Carpio, who said that the Philippines can win should the matter of China complying with the 2016 Arbitral Award be put to a vote. Hontiveros said winning at the UNGA can have meaningful and consequential outcomes not only for the country but also for the wider international community whose peace and scurity is also threatened by Beijing’s aggression. “The 2016 Hague ruling must be recognized and respected by all UN member-states, particularly China. The least all of us in government can do is to exhaust all legal, political, and diplomatic means to safeguard our sovereignty,” she stressed. “The UNGA vote is one way to do it and I hope we can truly unite and rally behind this cause,” Hontiveros reiterated. Aside from Zubiri and Tolentino, other senators who vowed to support the resolution included the Senators Juan Edgardo “Sonny” Angara, Joseph Victor “JV” Ejercito and Jinggoy Ejercito Estrada.
Sen. Risa Hontiveros (Senate PRIB Photo)
Hontiveros recently filed Senate Resolution No. 659, calling on the Philippine government to sponsor a resolution before the UNGA that will call on China to stop its harassment of Filipino vessels in the WPS. “I am positive that the majority of my colleagues in the Senate will support this resolution. In fact, I look forward to and am grateful for Senate President (Juan Miguel) Migz Zubiri’s text that my resolution will be scheduled for adoption,” Hontiveros said in a statement. The deputy minority leader noted that even Sen. Francis Tolentino, chairman of the Senate Committee on Justice and Human Rights, also express his support to this proposal. “Sen. Francis Tolentino has also expressed his support of this proposal. I am pleased to hear the support of majority senators and am striving to get a consensus,” she stressed. “This bipartisan effort only means one thing: our country is ready to stand as one against Chinese aggression and the senate, divided as we may be on other issues, stands ready to fight for our national sovereignty,” the senator added. The proposal to raise the WPS issue to the UNGA was first put forward by former Senior Associate Justice Carpio, who said that the Philippines can win should the matter of China complying with the 2016 Arbitral Award be put to a vote. Hontiveros said winning at the UNGA can have meaningful and consequential outcomes not only for the country but also for the wider international community whose peace and scurity is also threatened by Beijing’s aggression. “The 2016 Hague ruling must be recognized and respected by all UN member-states, particularly China. The least all of us in government can do is to exhaust all legal, political, and diplomatic means to safeguard our sovereignty,” she stressed. “The UNGA vote is one way to do it and I hope we can truly unite and rally behind this cause,” Hontiveros reiterated. Aside from Zubiri and Tolentino, other senators who vowed to support the resolution included the Senators Juan Edgardo “Sonny” Angara, Joseph Victor “JV” Ejercito and Jinggoy Ejercito Estrada.