Senate Deputy Minority Leader Rodante Marcoleta said on Monday that he prefers holding a “friendly debate” first before considering an invitation to join a Maritime Domain Awareness (MDA) flight to the Kalayaan Island Group.
Marcoleta made the statement in response to an earlier invitation from Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) spokesperson Commodore Jay Tarriela, who urged the senator to personally observe maritime conditions in the West Philippine Sea (WPS).
“Bago yun pakisabi niyo kay Commodore Tarriela kasama si Justice Carpio… para sa isang friendly debate bago pa yung pagpunta roon,” Marcoleta said, referring to Tarriela, former Supreme Court Justice Antonio Carpio, and University of the Philippines maritime law expert Jay Batongbacal.
He explained that an exchange of views should come first to clarify positions and perspectives “for the good of the country.”
Tarriela earlier described Marcoleta as a patriotic public servant capable of standing up for the country’s rights in the WPS.
He also assured the senator that the MDA flight could be arranged smoothly and that residents of Pag-asa Island would be ready to welcome him.