1-Rider Party-list Rep. Rodge Gutierrez (Ellson Quismorio/MANILA BULLETIN)

1-Rider Party-list Rep. Rodge Gutierrez has chided China for its supposed expertise in creating counterfeit or fake things. 

"Ang galing nila gumawa ng peke, kahit pekeng island kaya po nila (They're good at making fake things, they can even make a fake island)," Gutierrez sarcastically said during a press conference Tuesday, May 14. 

The assistant minority leader gave this reaction to a recent discovery by the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) that China had been carrying out reclamation in Escoda Shoal. 

The PCG is now keeping a close eye on the reclamation effort. 

"We’d like to commend the PCG, Philippine Coast Guard for...maagapan po ito (to nip this in the bud), nakita po nila and now that aware po iyong government natin, we’re confident po to the executive will take the proper measures to make sure na hindi mangyari ulit iyong nangyari doon sa ating mga ibang shoals," Gutierrez, a lawyer, said. 

(They spotted spotted and now that our government is aware, we're confident that the executive will take the proper measures to make sure that what happened in other shoals won't happen again.) 

"Kasi iyon po, it seems to be the technique ng China. So, kailangan po natin maagapan talaga. Nasa territory po natin ito e and alam naman nating Pilipino, ayaw po natin ng peke. E hindi po tayo papayag diyan," underscored the rookie congressman. 

(Because that seems to be China’s technique. So we really need to nip this in the bud. This is happening within our territory, and we know that we Filipinos, we don't like fake things. We won't let that happen.) 

Gutierrez further said: "So, again we commend, and we support fully the PCG. I have no doubts that the House, I don’t know with the authority but I’m sure I speak for everyone here. We are in full support."