MANILA — Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo Lacson said a Chinese government website carries narratives similar to statements made by Sen. Rodante Marcoleta regarding issues surrounding the West Philippine Sea.

In a privilege speech, Lacson said Marcoleta’s remarks on the Kalayaan Island Group appeared to match statements posted on the website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People’s Republic of China.

“Curiously, Mr. President, these narratives align with those of the Chinese narratives, plucked directly from the People’s Republic of China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ official website, Mr. President,” Lacson said.

“Kitang kita natin kung anong sinabi ng website ng Ministry of Foreign Affairs ng People’s Republic of China, yan din ang kanyang sinasabi (We can see clearly that what the website of China’s MOFA says, that is also what he says),” he added.

Lacson cited statements made by Marcoleta during a Senate hearing on Feb. 24, where the latter said that lawyer-businessman Tomas Cloma did not discover what is now known as the Kalayaan Island Group.

According to Lacson, the Chinese foreign ministry’s website also states that the Philippine government “did not know about Cloma’s activities or give him the consent before he took his moves.”

Lacson said Marcoleta also challenged the notion that the Spratly Islands were discovered and later occupied by Cloma based on the principle of terra nullius.

“He said I was all wrong when I said that the Spratly Islands were discovered and consequently occupied and owned by Tomas Cloma citing the principle of terra nullius or res nullius. It was, for him, a historical distortion,” Lacson said.

He added that Marcoleta’s assertion that the Kalayaan Island Group was not a case of terra nullius because it had been discovered earlier by others echoed statements on the Chinese ministry’s website describing the Philippine claim as “groundless.”

Lacson also pointed to remarks by Marcoleta suggesting that the Philippines should “give up” the Kalayaan Island Group.

“On the other hand, Lacson said Marcoleta’s statement suggesting that the Philippines ‘give up’ the KIG ‘is not merely suggestive, ito ay kasing kintab ng bumbunan na nasinagan ng tirik na araw sa tanghaling tapat (is not merely suggestive, but is as clear as a bald head reflecting the sunlight at noon).’”

The senator further warned against Marcoleta’s attempt to amend the journal of the Commission on Appointments’ Committee on National Defense where the statements were recorded.

“Mag-ingat po tayo dito Mr. President, sa gusto niyang mangyari (Mr. President, we must be careful on what he wants to happen). Your honor, being the Chairman of the CA and some of us here as members, we must study diligently the legal implications of Senator Marcoleta’s motion now pending before the CA,” Lacson said.

Lacson also accused Marcoleta of blaming him for allegedly splicing his statements following the backlash over the remarks.

“But if we backtrack the events that transpired in the past several months, one thing is crystal clear: when cornered by the fault of his own doing, he employs a diversionary maneuver, pathetically stretching the conversation, no matter how illogical, until people get drained and tired,” Lacson said.

“Just as a squid squirts ink to darken the water and blind everyone around while it swims away, a person may throw out irrelevant issues, fake scandals, or emotional outbursts to distract the public from the actual evidence or the main point of an investigation,” he added.

Lacson ended his speech by raising a question about Marcoleta’s position on the territorial dispute.

“On the West Philippine Sea – which side of the South China Sea is Senator Marcoleta on?” he asked.

“I think we know the answers, Mr. President,” Lacson added.