The Senate will hold an all-senators’ caucus on Monday, February 23 to discuss the ground rules for possible discussions with the Chinese Embassy on the West Philippine Sea dispute.

(Photo from the Senate of the Philippines)

Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo “Ping” Lacson disclosed this on Saturday, saying the minority bloc can also participate in the discussion if they wish.

“We seek to establish parameters on how to communicate with each other, so we do not offend each other,” Lacson said in an interview after the Philippine Military Academy Alumni Homecoming in Baguio City.

Lacson earlier brought up the possibility of holding dialogues between senators and the Chinese embassy in Manila after Chinese Ambassador to the Philippines Jing Quan expresed willingness to talk with Philippine leaders to put an end to the verbal war on the issue.

The verbal tussle on the West Philippine Sea snowballed after some senators supported calls to replace the Chinese ambassador to the Philippines.

Meanwhile, Lacson said he is open to visiting the Pag-asa Island in the Kalayaan Island Group anew. He had visited Pag-Asa Island in 2021; some 400 to 500 Filipinos currently live in the area.

"If there’s another opportunity to go there I want to go there," he said, pointing out that the Pag-asa island is the only inhabited barangay in the island.

Because of this, he said it is incumbent on Philippine government forces to defend Pag-asa Island from intrusion.

“We have established that there are Filipinos occupying the island, and they are voting. There are students there,” he noted.

“ I think it's incumbent upon us, especially our armed forces, to protect and defend Pag-Asa from intrusion - or in a worse scenario, invasion," he said.