Otso Diretso senatorial candidate Samira Gutoc criticized the people who ridicule the way she wore a life vest during her visit at Masinloc town in Zambales.
In a statement, she said that not fighting for the rights of the Filipino fishermen allegedly receiving bad treatment from the Chinese Coast guard is worse than wearing a life vest in the wrong way.
“Mali man po ang pagkakasuot ko ng life vest, hindi naman mali ang aking paninindigan. Ang mahirap ay tama ang iyong suot, pero ang kaluluwa, puso’t isipan ay naibenta na sa China,” Gutoc said.
She also responded to senatorial candidate Christopher “Bong” Go to offer her a tutorial lesson on how to ride a jet ski.
However, she wanted the lesson to happen near Scarborough Shoal (Panatag Shoal).
“Call ako dyan, and I truly appreciate his offer. Pero gawin ang tutorial sa Scarborough mismo or sa Kalayaan Islands […] Kahit alalay nya lang ako, sya ang bida, payag ako. At bilang malapit sa Presidente, he can ask the Coast Guard for permission to sail there, which was denied us last April 9,”
Gutoc, together with other senatorial candidates of the opposition went to Zambales last week to urge President Rodrigo Duterte to take an action against the Chinese Coast Guards trying to shoo the Filipino fishermen in Panatag Shoal.
They said that they originally plan to visit Panatag Shoal, however, the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) barred them from traveling there.
Meanwhile, the Armed Forces of the Philippines denied the claims of Otso Diretso, saying that anyone can go there as long as they’re gonna inform the PCG.