Senator Richard J. Gordon advised on Wednesday the Duterte administration to be prepared for all possibilities that might develop over the contested West Philippine Sea (WPS) that has become "an area of contention."
"There is, therefore, a need for the National Security Council (NSC) to meet regularly and assess the possibilities, along with a think tank composed of experts on foreign policy and defense," Gordon said.
"We have to think of all the possibilities in a situation where there is always claims and counter-claims. All these scenarios must be assessed by the NSC and a think tank composed of experts on foreign policy and defense," he explained.
Gordon’s pronouncement was prompted by the June 9 incident where a Chinese vessel rammed and abandoned the 22-man crew of a Filipino-owned fishing boat that later sank near the Recto Bank at the WPS.
He strongly suggested that the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) and Department of National Defense should be the ones to give statements on the incident to prevent President Duterte from being painted into a corner.
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This article first appeared on Manila Bulletin.
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