By Barbara Mae Dacanay, Bureau Chief Published: 00:00 July 21, 2011
Manila: Philippine lawmakers, businessmen and reporters ignored Chinese concerns before raising the Philippines' flag on an eight-island chain in the disputed Spratly Archipelago in the South China Sea, sources said.
Congressman Walden Bello said the delegation flew over the reefs and shoals where China left markers in 1995 between Palawan, in the southwest of the Philippines, and the Kalayaan Island Group (KIG), an eight-island chain.
One source told Gulf News that the fly-by was not provocative.
"The fly-by was meant to show to the congressmen, their visitors and reporters the territories belonging to the Philippines where China built structures [back in] 1995," the source said.
Bello and other lawmakers, including Arlene ‘Kaka' Bag-ao, Teddy Baguilat and Ben Evardone, were accompanied by General Juancho Sabban, head of the Armed Forces Western Command, and Abraham Mitra, Palawan governor.
They met in Puerto Princesa before flying to the island chain at 8am yesterday. They unfurled the national flag at the Kalayaan islands, which are also known as Thitu and are located 450km northeast of Palawan. They then held a meeting with more than 50 local leaders.
"We have a mayor at Kalayaan. There are more than 200 Filipinos living there. [There are also 100 soldiers there]. We have every right as Filipino citizens to visit a [territory claimed by the Philippines]," Bello said.
"There is also a communication tower on the island, courtesy of a Philippine-based telecommunications firm."
The trip, although criticised by China, was "a peace and sovereignty mission," Bello said, adding that his team wanted a personal appraisal of the islands, to collect the right data, and help the government strengthen the islands' defences and economic activities.
General Sabban called for the urgent refurbishment of the old airstrip on Kalayaan which was built in 1975. He said it remains a perfect landing area in times of conflict in the West Philippine Sea, the country's name for the South China Sea. --
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