A PARTY-LIST lawmaker said Thursday that the entry of a United States nuclear-powered submarine in Subic, Zambales, is a direct assault against the Philippine Constitution, which bans entry of any nuclear weapon.
"This is not a simple issue of routine ship replenishment for food and water but the lack of respect for our Constitution and sovereignty," Gabriela Women's Party Representative Emmi De Jesus said in a statement.
Malacañang denied on Thursday that the visit of USS North Carolina (SSN-777) is a show of support to the Philippines amid its territorial dispute with China.
Presidential spokesperson Edwin Lacierda said the visit's only purpose was simply "supply replenishment."
De Jesus warned that the five-week standoff between China and the Philippines over the Panatag (Scarborough) shoal may further be escalated with the entry of the US submarine.
"Instead of resolving issues in the diplomatic table, President Aquino has allowed the intrusion of US war mongering in the guise of protecting Philippine interest. When has the US acted politically and economically on behalf of any other interest other than its own? Is President Aquino blind to this reality or is he only admitting to his administration's full puppetry to US economic and political interests?" the party-list lawmaker said.
Malacañang said Thursday that the arrival of the US submarine has nothing to do with the ongoing standoff between the Philippines and China over the Scarborough (Panatag) Shoal.
"We do not put any political color here. It is just plain and simple supply replenishment," Lacierda said.
The Palace official also pointed out that the US's request was made prior to the standoff in the Panatag shoal.
"For the record, there was a request made to our government on April 3 that was before the Panatag incident and they requested to be allowed to be berthed here for the purpose of supply, replenishment and maintenance of shipboard systems. This has nothing to do with the Panatag Shoal incident," he said, adding the request was granted by the Department of National Defense in April 24.
The standoff started on April 8 when Chinese fishing vessels were spotted poaching marine species in the Panatag Shoal area, which is now being claimed by China as their territory.
Lacierda also denied that the visit has something to do with China's imposition of fishing ban in Scarborough and other parts of South China Sea.
The Palace spokesman said the US actions do not intend to aggregate the tension.
He added that since the Philippines is a strategic partner of US, "it is but natural for us to afford them assistance."
The USS North Carolina is scheduled to depart Subic on May 19.
Parañaque City Representative Roilo Golez, meanwhile, called on every Filipino to throw their support behind the Philippine government amid the dispute.
"Filipinos espousing contrary views must keep their opinions to themselves and not air them publicly, as the propagandists of the other side could exploit or are now exploiting them to their advantage and against our national interest," Golez, vice chairperson of the House Committee on National Defense and Security, said in a press statement.
"If they feel they have a good opinion on the legal and geopolitical aspects of this stand-off, they should convey it to the President or his State Diplomacy team and not make their contrary views public," he added
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