Backing out was not an option, according to Senator and presidential aspirant Panfilo "Ping" Lacson, whose flight received a radio warning from the Chinese Coast Guard on their visit to Pag-Asa Island on Saturday.
"Being radio challenged by a Chinese Coast Guard vessel stationed more than 3 nautical miles off the coast of Pag-Asa, I never considered backing out," he said on a tweet Sunday evening.
"Aside from the possibility of being fired at being remote, this is my country, not theirs. They had no right. That was my mindset," he added.
Lacson, along with senatorial aspirant and former Philippine National Police chief Guillermo Eleazar, took a plane to visit Pag-asa Island on Saturday, where they were greeted on the way by a Chinese Coast Guard warning.
"This is Chinese Navy. You are approaching our military alert zone. Leave immediately in order to avoid misjudgment," said the warning as quoted by Lacson's camp.
Lacson said they also received a text message that read "Welcome to China" on the way to the island.
The senator traveled to Pag-Asa Island to meet Western Command officials and lead a flag-raising ceremony there, where he also planted three Philippine flags.
Meanwhile, Eleazar, who was also on the tip, said they opted not to visit BRP Sierra Madre in the Ayungin Shoal to avoid escalating a "sensitive" situation.
"Hindi natin igigiit yung mga sitwasyon na pwedeng mag-create ng paglala ng situation so Pag-asa lang talaga ang ating pinuntahan," he told DZRH in an interview.
(We will not force an incident that could escalate the situation so we only went to Pag-Asa.)
According to Eleazar, Lacson is pushing for a "balance of power" to avoid bullying from China.
Lacson, Eleazar, and their camp's trip took to Pag-asa Island days after the Chinese Coast Guard blocked and water cannoned a resupply mission to the BRP Sierra Madre in the Ayungin Shoal.
