President Duterte banned his Cabinet on Monday from talking about sea disputes amid months of China’s escalating incursions. “This is my order now to the Cabinet, and to all and sundry talking for the government, to refrain from discussing the West Philippine Sea with anybody,” he said in a late night recorded telecast. “If we talk, we talk but just among us.” Only his spokesman Harry Roque may speak on the matter, the President added. Since March the foreign and defense offices have been rebuking China’s increasing numbers of maritime militia vessels trespassing the WPS. First, 220 trawlers “swarmed” and “threatened” Julian Felipe (Whitsun) Reef. Reinforced by a dozen more, they then spread out to poach in other reefs in Pagkakaisa Bank and in Kalayaan Islands municipality of Palawan. Last week the National Task Force-WPS reported at least 330 still there, plus in Recto (Reed) Bank. The WPS, the part of the South China Sea within the Philippines’ 200-mile exclusive economic zone, is rich in fisheries, oil and gas.

Bondoc, J. (2021, May 19). Cabinet gagged on China; ex-generals assert sea rights. The Philippine Star, p. 9.