The remaining two seats were won by opposition candidates not aligned with either Marcos or Duterte.
Commodore Jay Tarriela, the Philippine Coast Guard’s spokesman for the West Philippine Sea, warned over the weekend that Manila must guard against electing a leader in 2028 who would once again “ride a jet ski” on empty promises rather than assert the country’s sovereign rights.
Speaking at a public forum last week, Tarriela credited the Marcos administration with restoring public confidence in the country’s claims to the West Philippine Sea – the term Manila uses for the portion of the South China Sea within its exclusive economic zone. He urged vigilance to ensure that momentum is not lost after Marcos leaves office.
“What if it’s 2028 already? It’s the end of President Marcos Jnr’s term. How can we assure that our fight in the West Philippine Sea will continue?” Tarriela asked.
