Admin solons: Don’t vote for pro-China candidates

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ADMINISTRATION lawmakers yesterday warned voters against electing pro-China politicians in the May midterm elections, saying they compromise national sovereignty in the face of China’s illegal incursions in the West Philippine Sea (WPS) in the South China Sea.

“The upcoming elections is important not only in choosing our local and national leaders but also because it’s an issue of national security. We must choose leaders who will defend our territorial rights, not those who will bow down to China’s influence,” Zambales Rep. Jeffrey Khonghun said in mixed English and Filipino.

The call came following reports that a Chinese vessel used a sonic device, which emits deafening noise, against a Philippine Coast Guard ship near Zambales.

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La Union Rep. Paolo Ortega V on asked Filipinos to reject pro-China candidates, citing Beijing’s escalating aggression in the West Philippine Sea.

Khonghun cited recent surveys showing a growing number of Filipinos opposing China’s aggressive actions in Philippine waters, such as a Pulse Asia survey commissioned by the Stratbase ADR Institute, which revealed that 73 percent of Filipinos would not support candidates perceived to be pro-China.

He also pointed to an OCTA Research survey in March 2024 which found that 76 percent of Filipinos view China as the country’s “greatest threat.”

“The message of our people is clear. They will not accept candidates who favor China. The May elections is our chance to show that we’re not selling our sovereignty,” he said without naming candidates perceived to be pro-China.

Khonghun also reminded voters that it is crucial for Filipinos to elect leaders “who will stand firm against China’s continued harassment of Filipino fisherfolk and its unlawful activities in the WPS.”

DISINFORMATION

The Zambales lawmaker also warned against China’s disinformation campaigns aimed at misleading voters into supporting pro-China candidates.

“The Chinese propaganda machinery is at work, influencing narratives and promoting their chosen candidates. We must stay vigilant and informed,” he said. “We will not allow China’s creeping influence to dictate our future. The Filipino people deserve leaders who will fight for them, not those who will sell out their principles.”

Ortega described China’s sonic attack against the Philippine Coast Guard vessel last Saturday as “an audacious act of aggression.”

“This is no longer just about the West Philippine Sea, it’s about our future as a nation,” Ortega said. “Supporting candidates who are soft on China is the same as endorsing the harassment of our Coast Guard and the exploitation of our natural resources.”

Ortega said China’s aggression is not only a territorial issue but also an economic one because it is clearly “about oil, gas, and fish that belong to Filipinos.”

“Electing leaders who sell out our patrimony for political gain is a betrayal of our nation,” Ortega said. “A vote for pro-China candidates is a vote against the heroes who fought for our independence, the fishermen fighting for their livelihood, and the Coast Guard risking their lives to protect our seas.”

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