Opposition bets running for senator barred from Scarborough
Credit to Author: GLEE JALEA| Date: Mon, 08 Apr 2019 07:54:36 +0000
FOUR opposition candidates for senator were barred from the disputed Scarborough Shoal off the coast of Zambales on Monday.
Four of the senatorial bets who held their sortie in Masinloc town were dismayed after they were not allowed to monitor the situation in the disputed territory amid their dialogue with community leaders and Filipino fishermen who were reportedly harassed by Chinese security forces on the basis of its claim of the West Philippine Sea.
“’Yun nga po ang hindi makatarungang nangayayari sa atin. Akala ko po ay atin ‘yan eh bakit hindi kami makakapunta dun? It’s truly an irony na pati ang pamahalaan sinasabing bahagi ng Pilipinas yan pero mismo sila ay ay hindi kami pinapayagang pumunta dun,” human rights lawyer Chel Diokno told reporters in a chance interview.
(That is the injustice that we are experiencing. We thought this territory is ours but why aren’t we even allowed to go there? It’s truly an irony because even the government which claims that this is part of the Philippines is the one preventing us from going there.)
The party’s liaison officer confirmed with The Manila Times that during the ground team’s preparation for the scheduled sortie, it had been notified that the candidates won’t be allowed to go, especially if accompanied by members of the media.
The candidates, however, marched toward Masinloc Municipal Fish Port in the morning to join the rally of local protesters in fighting for the country’s rights to Scarborough Shoal.
Magdalo Rep. Gary Alejano, a staunch critic of President Rodrigo Duterte for his non-confrontational stance on the country’s alleged onerous agreements with China, claimed that the government’s “manipulated information” about what was truly going on in the West Philippine Sea was backed by a lack of documentation and information dissemination system on the treatment received by fisherfolk in the area.
LOOK: Otso Diretso bets Chel Diokno, Florin Hilbay, Gary Alejano, and Samira Gutoc are with the locals, youth, and fisherfolk of Masinloc, Zambales to assert PH’s sovereignty in the disputed Scarborough Shoal. Photo courtesy of Team Gutoc comms. @TheManilaTimes pic.twitter.com/jwN3nuEouf
— Glee Jalea (@tmtgleefjalea) April 8, 2019
“‘Yung harassment sa ating mga mangingisda, kinokontrol ito ng gobyernong makarating sa publiko. That means, binubulag ang publiko sa totoong nangyayari sa West Philippine Sea sa Scarborough para hindi magkaroon ng outrage ang mamamayang Pilipino sa panggigipit ng mga Tsino sa ating mga mangingisda,” he said.
(The information on the harassment being experienced by our fishermen is being controlled by the government when disseminated to the public. That means, the public is being blinded to what is truly happening at the West Philippine Sea, in Scarborough, so that the Filipinos will not be outraged by the treatment of the Chinese against our fishermen.)
Former solicitor general Florin Hilbay, who previously defended the Philippine’s ownership over the West Philippine Sea, called on Duterte anew to fulfill his duty in pressing for the country’s claims and rights in the disputed area.
“Ngayon, kahit kontrolado ng China yung Scarborough Shoal, hindi dapat hinaharass ang ating mangingisda. Obligasyon ng president na respetuhin yung desisyon na ‘yun at obligasyon ng China na [respetuhin] ang karapatang iyon…iyon ang dapat i-enforce,” he said.
(Even if China controls Scarborough Shoal, they should not harass our fishermen. It is the President’s obligation to respect that decision and it is China’s obligation to respect those rights. That’s what needs to be enforced.)
‘Pro-admin bets should visit Scarborough’
Marawi civic leader Samira Gutoc called on pro-administration candidates who have been dominating recent surveys to use their influence and visit the area themselves to extend the discussion further.
“Kayong mga administration, Hugpong, PDP-Laban [candidates]…kayo po ay nasa taas ng survey. Sana po ay tingnan niyo ito mismo….kami, hindi pwedeng tumingin sa katubigan. Baka po kayo pwedeng tumingin doon.…we challenge the administration kayo mismo lumapit doon at [tignan] kung hanggang saan kayo pwedeng tumingin,” Gutoc said.
(To the administration, Hugpong, PDP-Laban candidates, you have been topping the survey. I hope you personally look into this. We are not allowed to look into the waters, but you might be allowed. We challenge the administration to go here by yourselves and see up to what extent you can monitor the situation.)
The opposition said recently that it would work twice as hard to get to the “Magic 12” ahead of the May elections as pro-administration bets dominated the surveys in the last few months.
Aside from Diokno, Alejano, Hilbay, and Gutoc, the Otso Diretso slate consists of Erin Tanada, former deputy speaker of the House of Representatives, veteran election lawyer Romulo Macalintal, Sen. Paulo Benigno “Bam” Aquino 4th, and former Interior secretary Manuel “Mar” Roxas 2nd. None of the opposition candidates are in the Magic 12, so far.
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