Cagayan de Oro City 2nd district Rep. Rufus Rodriguez (Facebook)

Cagayan de Oro City 2nd district Rep. Rufus Rodriguez is fully behind the country’s firm stance on the West Philippine Sea (WPS) issue, as expressed by President Marcos and House Speaker Martin Romualdez. 

Rodriguez, who chairs the Committee on Constitutional Amendments of the House of Representatives, made the statement in the wake of recent aggressive actions by the China Coast Guard (CCG) against vessels of the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) and the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR). 

“President BBM (Bongbong Marcos) remains committed to protecting our sovereign rights in the [WPS] through diplomatic means and through cooperation and partnership with our allies and the international community without necessarily escalating tensions,” he said. 

In the latest incident, a CCG ship rammed a PCG vessel three times at Escoda Shoal near Palawan, which is inside the country’s 200-mile exclusive economic zone (EEZ) under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, to which both China and the Philippines are signatory. 

Rodriguez has been a consistent critics of China’s aggression and bullying and harassment of Filipinos in the WPS. 

He said his boss in the House, Speaker Romualdez, has shared the position taken by President Marcos on the increasingly aggressive behavior of China in the WPS. 

“We commend our Speaker for the vigorous stand he has articulated on this issue, and we support him as well,” said Mindanaoan. 

He noted that the leader of the 300-plus strong House of Representatives has declared that the Philippines continues to hope of constructive dialogue with China, but that Filipinos would be ready to defend their national territory and sovereign rights. 

Rodriguez said his constituents in Cagayan de Oro City have also supported the government’s position on the WPS. 

Last Feb. 26, the city council approved Resolution No. 14859, “expressing the collective support of the residents of Cagayan de Oro for the Philippine government’s efforts in protecting the West Philippine Sea". 

Rodriguez said the city council’s declaration “shows our solidarity with the national government in protecting our rights in the West Philippine Sea". 

The resolution was authored by Vice Mayor Jocelyn Rodriguez.