Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon on Thursday urged the Duterte administration to review its “policy of appeasement and accommodation” toward China, as the supposed closer ties between Manila and Beijing had not resulted in much economic benefits for the country. Drilon said the administration should be more assertive about the Philippines’ rights in the South China Sea, like Vietnam, which, according to him, gets more economically from China despite an aggressive stance in its territorial dispute with China in the strategic waterway. Speaking at a news forum in the Senate, the senator said China had continued to militarize the South China Sea, bullied Filipino fishermen, and destroyed corals at Panatag (Scarborough) Shoal despite President Duterte’s policy not to confront Beijing about their maritime dispute.

Salaverria, L. (2018, June 15). Drilon urges review of admin policy on China amid sea row. Philippine Daily Inquirer, p. A8.