Validate water cannon incident first, says Trillanes

By: Maila Ager - 11 years ago

Senator Antonio Trillanes IV. 蜜桃工作室/Noy Morcoso III

MANILA, Philippines鈥擯resident Benigno Aquino III should convene the Cabinet Security Cluster to validate the reported firing of water cannon last month at Filipino fishermen in the disputed Panatag Shoal in Western Philippine Sea before taking appropriate actions, Senator Antonio 鈥淪onny鈥� Trillanes IV said on Tuesday.

But Trillanes, chairman of the Senate committee on national defense and security, said the government should first validate if the reported incident was true.

鈥淚 would recommend that the President convene the Cabinet Security Cluster to validate the information and determine the proper course of action,鈥� he said in a text message.

鈥淲e have to validate the report first because it may turn out to be the same as the report on the so-called concrete blocks/structures being built by the Chinese in Scarborough which turned out to be false and the President had to invalidate the info himself,鈥� the senator added.

The President has already asked an explanation from China and the Department of Foreign Affairs has summoned China鈥檚 d鈥� affaires to strongly protest the incident.

Senator Francis 鈥淐hiz鈥� Escudero, an administration ally, backed the government鈥檚 immediate action and diplomatic approach on the issue.

鈥淭his kind of treatment happened only now and it鈥檚 important that we don鈥檛 let this pass,鈥� he said.

He said the filing of diplomatic protest against China would show that the country will not allow to be bullied by anyone.