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Palace respects senators’ stance against China’s presence in WPS

By Ruth Abbey Gita-Carlos

April 27, 2021, 5:24 pm

MANILA – Malacañang on Tuesday said it respects the position of several senators against China’s illegal activities in the country's exclusive economic zone (EZZ) and other parts of the West Philippine Sea (WPS).

This, after around 11 senators signed a Senate resolution, condemning the continued presence of Chinese vessels in the highly-contested waters despite a series of diplomatic protests lodged by the Philippines against China.

“The Palace respects that as the views of 11 policymakers of the country,” Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said in a virtual press briefing.

Under Senate Resolution 708 authored by Senate Minority Franklin Drilon, the senators said the continued presence of Chinese vessels violates the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea and the 2016 award by the Permanent Court of Arbitration.

Other senators who signed the resolution on Monday are Senate President Pro-Tempore Ralph Recto and Senators Nancy Binay, Leila de Lima, Richard Gordon, Risa Hontiveros, Manuel Lapid, Francis Pangilinan, Grace Poe, Joel Villanueva, and Ramon Revilla Jr.

 

Amid the maritime dispute, Roque reassured the public that President Rodrigo Duterte would make a “right” decision that would be beneficial to the country.

“Importante po kasing ang Presidente ay gumawa ng tamang desisyon maski ito po ay hindi popular na desisyon. At ang Presidente naman po, hindi na kinakailangan mangampanya. (It’s important that the President makes the right decision even if it’s not a popular decision. And the President is no longer campaigning). So he will do what he thinks is best for the country,” he said.

On July 12, 2016, the PCA in The Hague, Netherlands invalidated China's nine-dash line, a geographical marker Beijing invoked to assert its extensive claims in the strategic waters.

The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) on April 14 already filed two diplomatic protests against China amid the prolonged presence of its vessels in WPS.

The DFA’s filing of twin verbale notes came following reports that around 240 Chinese vessels were spotted in the Julian Felipe Reef at WPS on April 11.

On April 21, the National Task Force (NTF) for WPS said it is already coordinating for the deployment of more assets needed by Area Task Forces in securing the country’s control and sovereignty over the maritime territory.

The NTF-WPS also promised to uphold the country’s sovereignty over its territory as mandated by the 1987 Constitution, as well as to protect the country’s sovereign rights over the Philippine EEZ in accordance with international law. (PNA)

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