Marcoleta calls basis of WPS defenders mere ‘satsat’
Don’t dismiss them as mere “satsat” (chatter).
Senators Rodante Marcoleta and Risa Hontiveros clashed on Wednesday over a term he used to describe the way some government officials and maritime experts had been defending the country’s position in its maritime dispute with China.
The issue was over a single word, but it was the latest episode that saw Marcoleta, a member of the minority, challenging the basis of the statements made by Rear Adm. Jay Tarriela of the Philippine Coast Guard, retired senior associate justice Antonio Carpio, and maritime law expert Jay Batongbacal of the University of the Philippines (UP).
The matter came up during a hearing of the Commission on Appointments (CA) regarding the status and promotion of 70 generals and other senior military officials.
Marcoleta recalled that he recently filed a resolution calling for hearing to discuss how the West Philippine Sea is being drawn on the country’s official map. Among the resource speakers invited were officials from the National Mapping and Resource Information Authority (Namria) and “everyone involved” in mapping the WPS.
“I don’t know if it’s true but somebody supposedly wrote the Department of Foreign Affairs and the DND (Department of National Defense) that it cannot be discussed since it involved national security,” he said.
And yet, he said, “Commodore (sic) Tarriela, retired justice Carpio and Batongbacal who is a professor at UP keep on chattering about it (satsat nang satsat) in the media…’’
Hontiveros interjection
It was at this point that Hontiveros interjected, prompting Agusan de Norte Rep. Jose Aquino II, chair of the CA committee on national defense, to suspend the hearing.
Upon its resumption, Hontiveros said “My only interjection earlier was that we should not say that the statements of Commodore Tarriela, retired Senior Associate Justice Carpio, and the other person mentioned earlier are merely ‘satsat,’ because what they saying are serious.”
But Marcoleta refused to step back, saying: “You know why I used the word ‘satsat’? It doesn’t necessarily have a bad implication. I used that word because when they speak, what they say has no basis.”
The senator was referring to Carpio’s statement that there was no need to formally announce the coordinates of the country’s exclusive economic zone; Tarriela’s position that there are no “disputes” on West Philippine Sea; and Batongbacal’s explanation regarding the submission of maps to the United Nations.
Stricken off record
Making a formal motion, Hontiveros asked that Marcoleta’s “satsat” remark be stricken off the record.
Marcoleta objected at first, but later relented and agreed that another term be used.
LPGMA Rep. Allan Ty then suggested the Filipino terms “pahayag” (statement), “salita” (word), or “pagpapaliwanag” (explanation)—and asked if any of them would be “acceptable’’ to Marcoleta.
“Because Congressman Allan Ty is my best friend, I am allowing it. Why not?” Marcoleta said.
But the discussion moved on to another topic without the body deciding on record which among the three suggested words replaced Marcoleta’s “satsat.”
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