MANILA, PHILIPPINES — Seventeen lawmakers at the House of Representatives on Wednesday filed a resolution urging the executive department, through the Department of Foreign Affairs, to bring a resolution before the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) calling on China to respect the 2016 arbitral ruling and to stop "its repeated hostile and aggressive acts" against the country in the West Philippine Sea (WPs).

"We deemed it proper to file this already because we see tensions have been escalating in the West Philippine Sea and China has been persistent and relentless in her hostile and aggressive acts in the West Philippine Sea," Deputy Minority Leader and Mamamayang Liberal Rep. Leila de Lima told reporters in Filipino and English in an interview at the House.

"We know that many countries are with us in this fight because the law, the international law, is with us," she said.

Aside from de Lima, those who signed the resolution were:

1. Laguna 3rd District Rep. Loreto Amante,

2. Zamboanga del Norte 3rd District Rep. Adrian Michael Amatong,

3. Dinagat Islands Rep. Arlene Bag-ao,

4. Akbayan Rep. Percival Cendaña,

5. Akbayan Rep. Jose Manuel Tadeo Diokno,

6. Caloocan 2nd District Rep. Edgar Erice,

7. Muntinlupa Rep. Jaime Fresnedi,

8. Akbayan Rep. Dadah Kiram Ismula,

9. Albay 1st District Rep. Cielo Krisel Lagman,

10. Batangas 2nd District Rep. Gerville Luistro,

11. Zambales 2nd District Rep. Doris Maniquiz,

12. 1Tahanan Rep. Nathaniel Oducado,

13. Malabon Rep. Antolin Oreta 3rd,, This news data comes from:http://mtesjtr.redcanaco.com

17 House lawmakers press Marcos administration to raise WPS issue to UN

14. Bataan 1st District Rep. Antonino Roman 3rd,

15. Oriental Mindoro 2nd District Rep. Alfonso Umali Jr., and

16. Leyte 3rd District Rep. Anna Victoria Veloso-Tuazon.