Rep. Gary Alejano on Thursday expressed dismay over Foreign Affairs Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano’s statement that there was nothing to fear from the presence of Chinese Navy, Coast Guard and fishing vessels near Pag-asa Island. Meanwhile, Rep. Prospero Pichay sought to establish a mutual defense treaty with China following the marching order of President Duterte to establish “mutual trust” instead of pursuing the traditional confrontational approach to ensure a successful joint exploration in the disputed areas in the West Philippine Sea. Pichay said he broached the idea during a briefing on Wednesday by Cayetano before the House special committee on the West Philippine Sea led by former Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr. of Quezon City on the developments in the disputed areas.

Cruz, M. V., & Bencito, J. P. (2017, August 18). Solon hits DFA's silence on China. Manila Standard, pp. A1, A2.