AS expected, Malacañang comes to the rescue of President Rodrigo Duterte amid the latter’s refusal to issue a categorical position over the issue of territorial incursion of China.
In a press briefing, presidential spokesperson Harry Roque asked dissenters to leave the President “to his own devices” in dealing with China, adding that the government is currently trying to resolve the situation off the West Philippine Sea where some 240 Chinese ships have been freely wandering inside the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone (EEZ).
He also invoked on the exemption of diplomatic initiatives from freedom of information.
“The President must make the right decision, no matter what. Kung ano man ang ginagawa ng Presidente, hayaan na nating gawin niya iyon sa isang pribadong pamamaraan,” Roque said.
“Let’s leave the President to his devices. Napakita naman niya na in the past 5 years of his administration, we have moved from a position of antagonism with China to a position of friendship,” he added.
He also insisted that the Philippines remains “committed to the codification of a Code of Conduct.”
The Department of Foreign Affairs on Wednesday fired off two new diplomatic protests against China following summons on Chinese Ambassador Huang Xilian, who was told to work on the withdrawal of its vessels at Julian Felipe Reef.
Interestingly, it was only on March 7 that the public was made aware of the presence of hundreds of Chinese militia vessels at the West Philippine Sea.
When asked as to when the government would be able to drive away the Chinese vessels from the Philippines’ EEZ, Roque could only say: “Hindi ko po masasabi ‘yan.”
China has repeatedly insisted that the Julian Felipe Reef and other islands within the economic exclusive zone as part of their territory, adding that the place where hundreds of Chinese vessels swarm is China’s traditional fishing ground.
Relatedly, retired Philippine Supreme Court Senior Associate Justice Antonio Carpio, an advocate of Manila’s sovereign rights in the West Philippine Sea, said that the situation at the WPS may be a prelude to occupation.