DEPUTY Speaker Jefferson Khonghun today voiced serious concern following the recent statement of Defense Secretary Gibo Teodoro regarding Bajo de Masinloc (Scarborough Shoal), emphasizing that the area demands unwavering vigilance from the Philippine government.
Secretary Teodoro stated: “May raw information. Actually, sinasabi ko, ang Bajo de Masinloc ay dynamic ang area, so bagama’t maliliit pa ang mga nangyayari, binabantayan na ito.”
“While we appreciate the Defense Secretary’s assurance that the situation is being monitored, we must not underestimate the strategic importance of Bajo de Masinloc,” said Deputy Speaker Khonghun. “This is not merely a distant maritime feature — it lies just 124 nautical miles west of mainland Zambales and is firmly within the Philippines’ 200-nautical-mile Exclusive Economic Zone as recognized under international law, including the 2016 Arbitral Award.”
The Deputy Speaker is a member of the Philippine Coast Guard Auxiliary (PCGA) Executive Squadron with the rank of Auxiliary Commodore.
The Representative of the 1st District of Zambales stressed that any activity in the area, no matter how small at present, carries significant implications for national sovereignty, the rights of Filipino fishermen, and the security of coastal communities in Zambales and nearby provinces.
“I fully trust that the Philippine government, under the leadership of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., will exhaust all diplomatic, legal, and defensive efforts to ensure that not one inch of our territory or maritime jurisdiction will ever be ceded to any foreign entity,” Khonghun declared. “Our sovereignty is non-negotiable.”
He added that he and the people of Zambales will continue to closely follow developments in Bajo de Masinloc.
“Kasama ang ating mga mangingisda, mga coastal communities, at lahat ng Pilipino, nakatayo akong matatag sa panawagan na bigyan ng proteksyon ang ating soberanya at karapatan. Buo po ang suporta ng aking opisina sa ano mang magiging hakba ng ating gobyerno upang mapangalagaan ang ating karagatan.”
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