A timely clarification by the Department of Foreign Affairs of President Duterte’s statement setting aside the Arbitral Court ruling on the South China Sea dispute saved the Philippine win, Acting Chief Justice Antonio Carpio said in a forum on Maritime Disputes in the South China Sea Friday.
Mischief Reef – lost under Ramos presidencyScarborough Shoal – lost under Benigno Aquino III presidencySpratlys including Sandy Cay- surrendered to China under Duterte presidency
Last Sunday, former Solicitor General Florin T. Hilbay tweeted, “12 July 2016 was an interesting day. I, with Justices Carpio & Jardeleza, went to Malacanang to explain to the President the decision in Phils. v. China. I received the decision by email from the tribunal. The President that we briefed was Rodrigo Duterte and his full cabinet.”
As if nothing happened. No construction, no land reclamation, no more concerns expressed on the South China Sea dispute.
They believe Manila should instead stick to the letter and spirit of the Arbitral Court award last year.
In order to answer how best to secure Philippine interests in the Kalayaan Island Group (KIG) and West Philippine Sea (WPS), we should put it first in the context of where Philippine policy is. That policy, sadly, is both fragmented and incoherent, at best.
While the public was engrossed with the scandal of how 605 kilos of shabu from China worth P6.5 billion slipped through the Bureau of Custom and entertained by the Bautista vs Bautista family feud with a cameo role by President Duterte, a chunk of Philippine territory was being taken over by China.
The agreed framework for a Code on South China Sea was the most important achievement of the recently-concluded meeting of the foreign ministers of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations which segued to more meetings with its dialogue partners and the Asean Regional Forum.
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said Sunday that he and the 10 foreign ministers of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations have approved the framework for the Code of Conduct in the South China Sea.
What the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) foreign ministers dared not mention, their three dialogue partners did.
