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Magdalo Rep. Gary Alejano on Tuesday chided President Rodrigo Duterte for once claiming he would ride a jet ski to the West Philippine Sea and plant a flag there to assert the country鈥檚 sovereign rights.

In a statement, Alejano said it seems that jet ski had become rusty out of waste.

鈥淧ahiram ako ng jet ski niya, kinakalawang na kasi 鈥榙i niya ginagamit (I will borrow his jet ski, which has rusted because he was not using it),鈥� said Alejano, who filed an impeachment complaint against Duterte for betrayal of public trust, culpable violation of the Constitution, bribery, and other high crimes due to this administration鈥檚 bloody war on drugs.

搁贰础顿:听

During the 2016 campaign in the last presidential debate in Pangasinan, Duterte said he would ride a jet ski to the disputed Spratlys Islands and plant a flag there to assert our country鈥檚 rights over our waters against China.

鈥淚 will ask the Navy to bring me to the nearest boundary d鈥檡an sa (in the) Spratly 鈥� Scarborough. Bababa ako, sasakay ako ng jet ski, dala-dala ko 鈥榶ung flag ng Pilipino at pupunta ako doon sa airport nila tapos itanim ko, (I will go down and ride a jet ski carrying the Philippine flag which I would plant there in their airport), then I would say, 鈥淭his is ours and do what you want with me.鈥� Bahala na kayo,鈥� he then said.

Duterte later clarified his remark was mere hyperbole, saying he could not swim.

听

搁贰础顿:听Why Duterte won鈥檛 ride jet ski to Spratlys, disputed islands听|听

Alejano chided Duterte about his jet ski remark after the President in his speech in Myanmar teased Alejano about his surrender in the height of a mutiny and dared the former marine captain to be the one to lead a war against China over the disputed waters.

Alejano was part of the Oakwood mutiny and the Manila Peninsula siege during the Arroyo administration. He is a Magdalo听colleague of Senator Antonio Trillanes IV, a vocal critic of Duterte.

鈥淎no ba pinagyayabang ninyo? (What are you boasting about?) You had your chance to show your bravery. Do not shit with me. May panahon na na dapat lumaban kayo. 鈥榊ung itlog ninyo dumating naman sa bunganga ninyo. Tapos sabihin niyo bravery (There was a time when you should have fought. But your balls got stuck in your mouths. Then, you talk of bravery),鈥� Duterte said.

搁贰础顿:听War with China over islands? 鈥楾ake lead,鈥� Duterte tells Alejano

鈥淔or one, if he wants to fight in China, he could lead鈥�I would be glad to send him as the first batch of delegation of Filipinos who want to take the Spratlys island and all of these occupied now鈥攕ige (go ahead). Siya ang mauna (He can go first),鈥� Duterte later said in a media interview.

Alejano said there are a number of non-military ways to protect our country鈥檚 territory without going to war with China.

鈥淗indi po totoo ang sinasabi ng ating Pangulo na wala na tayong magagawa. Sa katunayan, marami tayong pwedeng gawing non-military and non-confrontational options, ayaw lang niyang gawin (What the President said that we couldn鈥檛 do anything is not true. In fact, we have non-military and non-confrontational options, he just doesn鈥檛 want to do these),鈥� Alejano said.

鈥淢ilitary confrontation is not the only option, but it should be our last option,鈥� Alejano added.

Duterte earlier said he could not do anything to stop China from building structures on Panatag Shoal.

READ:听Duterte: I can鈥檛 stop China in Panatag

For one, Alejano said, the country could take advantage of China鈥檚 distance from the disputed islands and the country鈥檚 proximity to these.

Alejano said the replenishment of food and fuel will be a logistical challenge for China, but not for the Philippines.

鈥淲e could also easily seek shelter on our shores during typhoons while the Chinese patrol ships may need to abandon their post thus we can secure the area before they return,鈥� Alejano said.

Alejano also suggested strengthening the Philippine Coast Guard to effectively patrol the area.

He said the coast guard could send 鈥渨hite ships鈥� instead of 鈥済ray ships鈥� to avoid military confrontation.

The congressman also suggested deploying marine research vessels to conduct research in the disputed territories to assert our rights in defending the country鈥檚 territory.

鈥淲e may also develop the disputed islands as tourism destination as another option,鈥� Alejano said.

Alejano also suggested providing the fishermen with sturdy vessels that would withstand the harsh waters of Scarborough and the West Philippine Sea, and with advanced communication system so they could contact authorities if harassed by Chinese ships.

鈥淲e can strategically deploy and train our fishermen to utilize the natural resources in the area. We could provide them with advanced communication system so that we could aid or defend them should they be threatened by Chinese ships,鈥� Alejano said.

Alejano said the country can learn from the experience of Vietnam in protecting their interests in the disputed waters.

Alejano recalled that in the Haiyan Shiyou 981 standoff, Vietnam opposed the drilling of the Chinese oil rig in the waters near the Paracel Islands.

鈥淭he Philippines could derive a few lessons from Vietnam on how to defend our territory and be resolute in protecting our interests,鈥� Alejano said.

The former marine captain maintained that the country should use the favorable United Nations arbitral decision to assert the country鈥檚 maritime rights over the resource-rich West Philippine Sea and even the Benham Rise, a biodiversity hotspot east of Luzon where recently Chinese ships had been spotted allegedly looking for submarine stations.

Alejano dared Duterte to be steadfast in asserting our country鈥檚 territory with the same vigor the President has in his war on drugs that has claimed over 8,000 lives already.

鈥淢aging matapang siya at harapin ang Tsina sa mga usaping patungkol sa ating mga teritoryo, hindi 鈥榶ung kapwa n鈥檡a Pilipino ang pinapapapatay niya. Tandaan din niya na ang karamihan ng mga drogang ito ay nanggaling din sa Tsina (He should be brave and face China on this issue of our territory. He should not just kill our fellow Filipinos. He should be reminded that most of the drugs in the country come from China),鈥� Alejano said.

搁贰础顿:听Duterte urged to be transparent in dealing with China

Lawmakers earlier urged Duterte to be transparent about his deals with China, amid reports he had an arrangement with China to allow its surveillance ships in Benham Rise,听a 13-million hectare mineral-rich undersea region east of Luzon.

This supposed arrangement was reportedly not known to Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana and acting Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo.

The United Nations in 2012 declared Benham Rise as part of the Philippine continental shelf.

Alejano had said Duterte鈥檚 secret dealings with China constitute another impeachable offense of treason, which could form part of a supplemental impeachment complaint. IDL

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