Malacañang rejects surrender of territoryIn this undated handout photo received from the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) on April 25, 2021, coast guard personnel conduct maritime exercise near Pag-asa island in the West Philippine Sea. Philippine Coast Guard spokesperson for the West Philippine Sea Jay Tarriela, without naming Marcoleta, said it would be treasonous for a Filipino to suggest surrendering any part of the country's territory. The Senate was also allowed to debate on such matters on its own, as they had the freedom to express themselves. (The president wants every Filipino to know what our territorial rights are, and what our interests in the West Philippine Sea are. The President's position remains the same, no part of our territory or our interests will be surrendered to any foreign power.)

Source: Philippine Star February 09, 2026 13:47 UTC