MANILA -- Sen. Risa Hontiveros' resolution seeking to urge the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) to elevate China’s continuous incursions in the West Philippine Sea became a heated issue of discussion among senators during their session Wednesday.

Hontiveros’ Resolution 659 urges the “Philippine government through the Department of Foreign Affairs to sponsor a resolution before the UN General Assembly calling on China to stop its harassment of Philippine vessels."

Hontiveros initially delivered a sponsorship speech where she underlined the negative impact of China’s continuous disregard of the 2014 UN Arbitral Tribunal Award recognizing the Philippines exclusive economic zone (EEZ).

• China's latest sea aggression a 'case of international gaslighting' - Hontiveros

“A UNGA resolution could bolster the Arbitral Award, which makes one thing supremely, and absolutely, clear: China's claim of historic rights to resources in the waters of the entire South China Sea was illegal and incompatible with the exclusive economic zones provided by the UNCLOS,” Hontiveros told her colleagues.

Hontiveros’ stand was immediately echoed by Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri and Senators Jinggoy Estrada and Raffy Tulfo.

All three senators also underlined the need to address China’s disrespect to the Philippines’ territorial rights.

“This is to express my unequivocal and all-out support to Senate Resolution No. 659, authored by our distinguished, soft-spoken but strong-willed Deputy Minority Floor Leader, Senator Risa Hontiveros... enough is enough,” Estrada said.

“Should we successfully pass a resolution before the UNGA, we will in effect be solidifying international support for the sovereignty of the Philippines, and putting pressure on China to keep their military and political activities outside of our Exclusive Economic Zone and continental shelf,” Zubiri said.

“The Chinese harassment towards Filipinos in the West Philippine Sea should stop now. It is high time that the Philippine Government exert all efforts to ensure that China will recognize the 2016 Permanent Court of Arbitration Ruling and other international laws such as UNCLOS. The United Nations was built to hold member states for agreements they freely entered into,” Tulfo said.

CAYETANO’S POINTS

But Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano, a former DFA secretary, quickly moved to block the resolution.

Cayetano insisted even Vietnam and Malaysia are also putting up military facilities in the South China Sea, some are even within the West Philippine Sea area.

The senator even showed photos of Malaysia’s supposed military facility in Swallow Reef; Vietnam’s artificial islands in Hizon Reef, Ballang Cay, Sincowe East Reef, Kalantiyaw Cay and Pugad Island.

Cayetano then asked Hontiveros why she was only targeting China.

Cayetano then cautioned his colleagues not to “side” with either the United States or China, a remark immediately called out and addressed by Zubiri and Hontiveros.

With Hontiveros and Zubiri refusing to be nudged by Cayetano’s arguments, the latter later on resorted to appealing to the chamber to defer the discussion of Hontiveros’ resolution, and discuss it first in a closed-door caucus.

During the session, Hontiveros remarked that she expected the resolution to be passed by the Senate today.

Sen. Ronald dela Rosa and Sen. Loren Legarda later on also registered their support in condemning China’s incursions of the Philippines’ EZZ, but sided with Cayetano in deferring the possible approval of the Hontiveros' resolution.

Before suspending the debate, Zubiri instructed Senate Secretary Renato Bantug to send an invitation to Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo, Presidential Adviser on the West Philippine Sea Andres Centino as well as officials of the National Security Council to further discuss Hontiveros' resolution.

• Hontiveros meets Taiwanese president, raises 'China's harassment'

In a separate interview, National Security Adviser Eduardo Año said there are other ways to address China's aggression in the West Philippine Sea without elevating it before the UN.

“Nandiyan yung mga usapin ng joint patrol at multi-lateral patrol, maraming paraan at yung pagdadala sa UN General Assembly ay isa lamang sa paraan pero ito ay under discussion at wala pang stand ang ating pamahalaan dito,” said Año.