President Rodrigo Duterte has shown courage in asserting the Philippines’ rights in the West Philippine Sea (WPS), Malacañang said on Wednesday.
Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque made this remark after Vice President Leni Robredo urged the Duterte administration to show courage in asserting the country’s landmark arbitral tribunal victory against China.
“Hindi ko po alam kung anong gusto niyang tapang ipakita pero nagsalita na po ang Presidente—malinaw, matapang sa (I don’t know what kind of courage she wants, but the President has spoken—clear and courageous before the) UN General Assembly: ‘The arbitral ruling is already part of international law.’ Kung hindi ‘yan matapang, ewan ko po kung ano ang matapang (If that’s not courageous, I don’t know what is),” Roque said in a Palace press briefing.
He was referring to how Duterte invoked the arbitral ruling on the WPS during the 75th UN General Assembly (UNGA) held in September last year.
In his speech, Duterte said the arbitral ruling is “now part of international law, beyond compromise and beyond the reach of passing governments to dilute, diminish, or abandon.”
Duterte said his administration also rejects attempts to “undermine” the sea ruling that favors the Philippines.
Roque admitted that the Palace was no longer surprised by the remark made by Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian describing the Philippines’ July 2016 arbitral award as just “a piece of paper”.
He acknowledged that Duterte himself said the arbitral ruling would not help resolve the sea dispute between Manila and Beijing.
However, he also noted that the President’s strong assertion on the arbitral ruling should erase doubts on his position on the sea row.
“Bilang sagot sa sinabi ng spokesperson ng Chinese Ministry on Foreign Affairs, ang tingin po natin ang award ay kabahagi na ng international law (In response to the statement of the spokesperson of the Chinese Ministry on Foreign Affairs, we think that the award is part of international law),” Roque said.
On July 12, 2016, the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) in The Hague, Netherlands ruled in favor of the Philippines’ petition, saying China has no legal basis to assert its supposedly historic rights over nearly the entire South China Sea.
China, however, stood pat on its decision to reject the ruling, calling it “illegal and invalid”.
Meanwhile, Roque dismissed anew reports that Filipino fishermen are being prevented by Chinese vessels from fishing near the Panatag (Scarborough) Shoal in the WPS.
“Well, ito po ang sinasabi ng mga liderato roon, ito po ang sinasabi noong may-ari ng mga bangka – ‘hindi po sila pinipigilan mangisda sa Scarborough’ dahil iyan po ay kabahagi noong desisyon ng arbitral tribunal (Well, this are what leaders there are saying, this is what owners of boats are saying—they are not being prevented from fishing in the Scarborough because it is part of the decision of the arbitral tribunal),” he said.
Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) spokesperson Commodore Armando Balilo, in the same briefing, said his agency has yet to receive reports that fishermen are being prohibited from fishing in the area.
Roque earlier urged fishermen to file complaints to confirm that they continue to experience harassment by Chinese vessels.
Source: Philippines News Agency