Deputy Minority Leader Senator Risa Hontiveros said China’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson should stop with the lies and propaganda on the West Philippine Sea.                    Sen. Risa Hontiveros (Senate PRIB Photo)

Hontiveros pointed this out following the remarks made by Wang Wenbin, China’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson who insisted in a latest press conference that the Ren’ai Reef is part of China’s Nansha Islands. “Beijing’s Foreign Ministry Spokesperson should stop with the lies, gaslighting, and propaganda. He is not helping his country on the world stage by insisting on these sweeping and baseless claims,” Hontiveros said in a statement on Friday, July 7. “The commotion happened on Ayungin Shoal; not Renai Reef, not Nansha islands, and certainly not Chinese territory,” the senator insisted. The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) were on a routine resupply mission in Philippine waters when Chinese vessels illegally maneuvered to interdict them, she said, referring to the latest incident on June 30. “This is the truth. If China wants to be a responsible member of the community of nations, Wang, as Foreign Ministry spokesperson, should inform his government to genuinely abide by international law and leave Philippine territory be,” Hontiveros said.  During the press conference, Wenbin was also quoted saying that the PCG vessels were the ones that intruded into the waters off the Ren’ai Reef without Chinese permission. “In accordance with the law, the Chinese Coast Guard vessel carried out law enforcement activities to uphold China’s territorial sovereignty and maritime order. The Chinese side’s maneuvers were professional and restrained,” Wenbin said. For his part, Sen. Joseph Victor “JV” Ejercito said it is continually frustrating to hear that the country’s pleas for China over its concerns in the WPS continues to fall “on deaf ears.” “This is really no longer an action of an ally or friend,” Ejercito said in an interview with Senate reporters. “I would agree to the preposition ni Sen. Risa to bring this issue before the UNGA (United Nations General Assembly) so that the Hague ruling could be fully enforced,” Ejercito further said.  “We have to exhaust all diplomatic means. We cannot match their strength so it’s about time to bring this up to the UN,” he reiterated.