Ex-DFA chief: Duterte warning vs. Chinese aggression ‘appropriate and admirable’

Former Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario lauded President Rodrigo Duterte for taking a strong stance against perceived Chinese aggression in the disputed South China Sea amid large presence of its vessels near islands occupied by the Philippines.

"Our President is manifesting his own brand of leadership which in this instance is both appropriate and admirable," Del Rosario said in a statement sent to GMA News Online on Saturday.

"Let us all be one in standing behind him," said Del Rosario, who, along with former Ombudsman Conchita Carpio Morales, filed a case against Chinese President Xi Jinping, accusing him of committing crimes against humanity in connection with Beijing's activities to gain control over most of the resource-rich South China Sea.

Duterte on Friday has threatened to send troops on a "suicide mission" if China undertakes aggressive actions on Philippine-occupied features in the South China Sea, particularly Pag-asa Island.

"Let us be friends, but do not touch Pagasa Island and the rest," Duterte was quoted as saying at a rally in Puerto Princesa, Palawan.

"If you make moves there, that's a different story. I will tell my soldiers, 'Prepare for suicide mission'."

"I'm just telling you that lay off the Pag-asa because I have soldiers there."

The Department of Foreign Affairs last Thursday called “illegal” the presence of about 275 Chinese vessels near and around Pag-asa island, saying it is an infringement of Philippine sovereignty.

In a strongly-worded statement, the DFA said: “Pag-asa Islands are part of the Kalayaan Island Group (KIG), which is an integral part of the Philippines over which it has sovereignty, sovereign rights and jurisdiction.”

“The presence of Chinese vessels near and around Pag-asa and other maritime features in the KIG is illegal,” the DFA said. “Such actions are a clear violation of Philippine sovereignty, sovereign rights and jurisdiction, as defined under international law including the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).”

Pag-asa Island, also known by its international name Thitu, is a 37-hectare island with an airstrip, commercial communications tower, and power generators. It is the largest of the KIG territories claimed by the Philippines and is part of the municipality of Palawan.

The Chinese vessels were spotted near and around the area from January to March this year, according to the Philippine military. China said the vessels are civilian ships, mostly Chinese boats.

“Such actions when not repudiated by the Chinese government are deemed to have been adopted by it,” the DFA said. — MDM, GMA News