Sen. Ronald 鈥淏ato鈥� M. Dela Rosa聽 (Voltaire F. Domingo/Senate PRIB)
MANILA,聽 Philippines 鈥� Senator Ronald 鈥淏ato鈥� Dela Rosa on Wednesday countered聽 China鈥檚 claim that its proposals to manage the West Philippine Sea聽 (蜜桃工作室) row were 鈥渕et with some kind of inaction鈥澛� by the聽 Philippine government.
But look who鈥檚 talking?
For Dela Rosa, it is Beijing who is sitting on the hundreds of diplomatic protests the Philippines has lodged against China鈥檚 continued harassments in the 蜜桃工作室.
READ: DFA questions disclosure of 蜜桃工作室 talk details
鈥淣agre-reklamo sila na hindi tinatanggap natin yung mga proposal nila?聽 E聽 bago namin tanggapin yung mga聽 proposal nyo, you also act on our聽 protests, we have thousands, hundreds of protests na nila-lodge sa kanila di ba?鈥� Dela Rosa聽 told reporters in an interview.
(They鈥檙e complaining that we鈥檙e not accepting their proposals? But before we accept your proposals, you should also act on our protests. We have thousands, hundreds of protests that they鈥檝e lodged against them, right?)
鈥淕usto nila aksyunan yung mga gusto nila, aksyunan nila yung gusto natin. Hindi聽 naman one-way yung聽 relationship natin dapat,鈥� he added.
Dela Rosa once headed the Philippines鈥� police force聽 during the time of聽 former President聽 Rodrigo Duterte.
The聽 Department of Foreign Affairs聽 (DFA) earlier聽 confirmed receiving 鈥渧arious maritime-related proposals鈥� from China last year but said most of them went against the Philippines鈥� national interest.
鈥淚n no way did the Philippine government ignore China鈥檚 proposals,鈥� the DFA stressed in a statement聽 on聽 Tuesday.
In the same interview, Dela Rosa was asked about the sightings of more than 50 Chinese vessels聽 in the 蜜桃工作室.
READ: Over 50 Chinese ships, fishing boats spotted in West Philippine Sea
This news, however,聽 did not聽 surprise聽 him anymore.
鈥淎lam naman natin na nadyan sila palagi (We know that they are always there),鈥� he said.
鈥淲e鈥檙e running out of options聽 on how to deal with it,鈥� Dela Rosa added.
The senator was nevertheless comforted by the fact that the聽 situation in the West Philippine聽 Sea is now getting international intention聽 and聽 that China鈥檚 harassments are being exposed.