Philippine Senator Calls out China in Visit to Disputed Island

Philippine Senator Risa Hontiveros raises a Philippine flag on Thitu Island in the South China Sea on February 21, 2026. Photo by JAM STA ROSA / AFP

By Jam Sta Rosa

A Philippine senator called for deepening defense relationships and “continuous” pushback against China’s claims in the South China Sea while visiting one of Manila’s tiny possessions in the disputed waterway on Saturday.

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