Ni ARGYLL CYRUS B. GEDUCOS
Sa harap ng maraming usap-usapan kaugnay sa West Philippine Sea, umapela ang Malacañang sa publiko na magkaisa sa pagtugon sa isyu sa pinagtatalunang karagatan.
Naglabas ng pahayag si Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque ilang araw matapos mabunyag na mayroong mga pag-uusap sa pagitan ng kumpanyang Pinoy at Chinese para sa posibleng joint exploration sa Service Contracts (SCs) 57 at 72.
Sa press briefing sa Palawan, sinabi ni Roque na hindi isusuko ni Pangulong Duterte sa sinuman ang alinmang isla o teritoryo na inaangkin ng Pilipinas.
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“The President considers the West Philippine Sea and all the islands that we are currently occupying and lay claim to as part of the province of Palawan, with the exception, of course, of Scarborough which forms part of the province of Zambales,” sinabi ni Roque kahapon.
“The President has said that he will not surrender a single inch of Philippine territory to foreigners,” idinugtong niya.
Tinuligsa ng mga kritiko si Duterte matapos niyang sabihin na bukas siya sa panukala ng China na magsagawa ng joint explorations sa mga pinagtatalunang bahagi ng dagat.
Ayon ay Roque, ang mga kritiko ni Duterte ay ang mga nais lamang protektahan ang teritoryo ng bansa ngunit kailangan aniyang isipin ng Pangulo ang consequences kapag kinalaban ng bansa ang China.
“We appeal to the critics, we have to be united on this issue. Please do not claim to have the monopoly of upholding the national interest,” aniya.
“The Philippine President has been consistent that he will die for Philippine territory. But meanwhile, he will not sacrifice even a single life for an issue that can be resolved on the basis of friendly relations,” dugtong niya.
‘DI PA NARESOLBA?
Sinabi ni Roque na ang claim ng Pilipinas sa mga pinagtatalunang dagat sa batayan ng discovery of restful use of territory at effective occupation, ay napakalinaw at kinilala maging ng International Arbitral Tribunal noong 2016.
“The President’s position is that the ruling of the UN Tribunal for the Law of the Sea has finally decided that China cannot claim to any waters of the West Philippine Sea on the basis of historical claims or the Nine-Dash Line, and that Scarborough and the area where China has built artificial islands are part and parcel of the Philippine exclusive economic zone,” ani Roque.
Gayunman, ayon pa kay Roque, hindi pa naresolba ang usapin sa land territory dahil tanging ang mga isyung may kaugnayan sa dagat ang maaaring resolbahin ng High Court.
“That is why we still have to refer to it as the disputed islands of the West Philippine Sea because that was not the subject of any ruling on the part of the UN tribunal for the law of the sea,” aniya.
KAYA FRIENDLY
Sinabi ni Roque na ito ang rason kung bakit nakikipagmabutihan si Duterte sa China, taliwas sa posisyon ng nakaraang administrasyon. Subalit nilinaw niya na patuloy na igigiit ng Pangulo ang mga karapatan ng bansa.
“Because this conflicting claims will have to be resolved obviously through negotiations and diplomatic relations, that is why the President has, in the time being, pursued friendly relations with China in contrast to the antagonistic position taken by his predecessors,” aniya.
“The President, I reiterate, will not surrender Philippine territory. But the policy is, on matters which are not controversial such as trade and investment, we will proceed full speed ahead,” dugtong niya.
