Sara challenges Teodoro: Name pro-China officials in govt

MANILA, Philippines — Vice President Sara Duterte challenged Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro to identify the government officials defending China on the West Philippine Sea issue, saying even President Marcos might be suspected to be among those being alluded to. In an interview yesterday in Davao City, the Vice President was asked to comment on Teodoro’s call for pro-China government officials to resign. She said to make it clear to all Filipinos, such officials should be named. “You can’t just release a statement and not name the officials. And of course even the President might be suspect as long as there’s no list,” Duterte said. In a forum, Teodoro said elected government officials siding with China should consider resigning from their posts because those in government swore to uphold the Constitution and the country’s laws. He said if the elected and sworn government officials cannot stand by the country’s stance, they should either resign or question this before the Supreme Court. Malacañang has expressed support for Teodoro’s call. Meanwhile, an organization of both retired and active top officials of the military, police, and other uniformed services joined calls yesterday for public officials to uphold their oaths of allegiance and stand by the country’s laws on the issue of the West Philippine Sea. In a statement, the Association of Generals and Flag Officers (AGFO) said the group “shares the unyielding position of the Department of National Defense on the West Philippine Sea, emphasizing that allegiance to the Constitution, adherence to the rule of law, and the defense of national sovereignty remain non-negotiable duties of every public servant.” AGFO is headed by retired police Maj. Gen. German Doria. “Public office is a sacred public trust. Every public official is bound by a solemn oath to bear true faith and allegiance to the flag and the Republic, and to strictly obey and execute the laws of the land – including Administrative Order No. 29, series of 2012, which formally defines the West Philippine Sea,” it stressed. As former military leaders who have dedicated their lives to protecting the nation’s territorial integrity, AGFO said it stands by three core imperatives: adherence to legal obligations, solidarity with troops and maritime communities, and responsible and contextual reporting AGFO reaffirmed its commitment to a peaceful, secure, and sovereign Philippines, calling on all public servants to bear true faith and allegiance to the nation. At the House of Representatives, five allies of President Marcos yesterday filed a measure that aims to institutionalize in educational institutions the importance of the Philippines’ legitimate maritime ownership over the West Philippine Sea. House Bill 10587 (West Philippine Sea Education Act) counts among its authors House Deputy Speakers Francisco Paolo Ortega and Jefferson Khonghun, and Reps. Zia Alonto Adiong, Rodge Gutierrez and Ernesto Dionisio Jr. “Filipino students must learn the facts – that we are advocating for a rules-based international order, and that the West Philippine Sea is rightfully ours,” the House’s so-called Young Guns declared in a joint statement. “Our young people are vulnerable to fake news and propaganda flooding social media. We have a duty to teach them the truth so they grow up armed with accurate, evidence-based knowledge of our sovereign rights and entitlements,” they said. The measure institutionalizes a comprehensive WPS Education and Awareness Program, mandates the integration of age-appropriate WPS education into basic and higher education curricula, and promotes national understanding of the Philippines’ maritime rights under the 1987 Constitution. Also included in the educational materials should be the Philippine Maritime Zones Act (Republic Act 12064), the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea as well as the Philippines’ July 2016 victory, or the South China Sea Arbitral Award. – Michael Punongbayan, Delon Porcalla