Dispatch from Crame No. 1013:
Sen. Leila M. de Lima's Statement on Potential Sale of the Fuga, Grande and Chiquita Islands to China

1/9/21

I join the Pinoy Action for Governance and the Environment (PAGE) in their call for the investigation of the anomalous activities concerning some of our country's islands, namely, Fuga in Cagayan province, and Grande and Chiquita in Subic Bay.

In 2019, it can be recalled that these islands were targeted by Chinese investors supposedly for transformation into economic and tourist zones. However, high-ranking military officials had urged caution by rightly pointing out their strategic value as having control of these islands would have far-reaching implications to our national security.

Back then, I called for the cancellation of these projects via Senate Resolution No. 93 in order to protect our country from risks posed by aggressive military activities by the People's Republic of China in the Asia-Pacific Region. To date, this Resolution remains pending proper action as it languishes in the archives of the Senate. Anong petsa na? Aantayin pa ba natin masimulan ang mga proyektong ito bago tayo kumilos?!

Intrusions into our territory as well as into our exclusive economic zone should never be taken sitting down and should be acted on swiftly and decisively. All eyes must be on every attempt to dilute our sovereignty.

It would be nothing less than a culpable violation of the Constitution that must merit the nation's utmost disgust and rejection. These strategic islands form part of our national territory, and anyone who permits intrusion therein must be held to account.

Hindi dapat hayaang mapasakamay ng mga dayuhan ang kahit anong parte ng bayang ito na dugo ng mga bayani ang naging puhunan. Not even one square inch of our country should deserve nonchalance and passivity. Jurisprudence is clear: the characteristics of sovereignty are permanence, exclusiveness, comprehensiveness, absoluteness, indivisibility, inalienability and imprescriptibility. And under the Constitution, the goal of civilian supremacy is to always secure the sovereignty of the State and the integrity of our national territory. Just in case these lapdogs of China have forgotten!

Huwag niyo sanang gawing oportunidad ang pagdurusa ng mamamayan dahil sa COVID-19 upang maisanla at maibenta ang ating soberanya sa mga dayuhan. Sinaid na nga ng korapsyon ang bulsa ng bayan, ipapaubos niyo pa ang ating mga natural na yaman sa mga dayuhan? Ganyan na lang ba kayo kalapastangan?

We must assert our sovereign rights over these strategic islands. Tindigan, ipaglaban at ipagsigawan: ATIN ANG PILIPINAS! ###

(Access the handwritten version, here: https://issuu.com/senatorleilam.delima/docs/dispatchno1013)