The opinion piece herein is not driven by political partisanship but by patrimony, by being a Filipino.
When Senator Rodante Marcoleta shouts that Bakit ba tayo makikipag Patayan sa isang isla na hindi kasali sa ating EEZ, my suggestion is to GIVE UP KIG!
(Emphasis mine.)
Let us delve and dig deeper herein, the legal implications of a Philippine senator publicly suggesting surrender of legitimate territory are serious:
• Violation of constitutional duty: The 1987 Philippine Constitution mandates the State to protect national sovereignty and territorial integrity. Advocating surrender contradicts this duty and could be interpreted as a breach of oath of office. GIVE-UP by synonym is surrender in Filipino transalation IBIGAY!
• Grounds for accountability: While free speech protects legislators, statements undermining sovereignty may trigger calls for censure, ethics investigations, or even impeachment if tied to official acts.
What International Law says :
• Sovereign ownership principles: Under international law, territory acquired through discovery and effective occupation (as with the Kalayaan Island Group) is recognized as sovereign. Suggesting abandonment undermines the Philippines’ legal claim and could weaken its position in disputes like those in the West Philippine Sea.
• Diplomatic repercussions: Such remarks could be used by rival claimants (e.g., China) to argue that the Philippines is not asserting sovereignty consistently, potentially weakening arbitration outcomes or negotiations.
While the Senator was hitting the Media with backtracking and binabawi statements, we cannot help but wonder, what will happen next.
The sad reality is that we Filipinos including the Senators like Marcoleta are on a protracted debate because, they, the opposition Senators rather fight us, Filipinos than defend us! Is it not Ironic?
