Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. accompanied three senators to this small island outpost to take stock of the situation in and around the West Philippine Sea (WPS). Teodoro, Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri, Senate Majority Leader Joel Villanueva, Sen. JV Ejercito were onboard a private plane that flew them here on Thursday when they received radio challenges from Chinese naval forces. “It’s so sad that while we are inside our own country, the territory of the Philippines, you are being told to leave because this is supposedly a territory of China,’” Zubiri told reporters.

Ramos, M. (2024, May 18). DND Chief, 3 senators visit remote village in WPS. Philippine Daily Inquirer, p. A6.