China's aggression in WPS not tamed by Duterte shift in policy — expert

China's aggression in the West Philippine Sea (WPS) has not been tamed despite the Duterte administration's efforts to "normalize" ties with the Asian power, according to maritime law expert Professor Jay Batongbacal.

"The change in policy has not really moderated China's behavior in the West Philippine Sea," Batongbacal said at the SWS Kapihan on Thursday.

He said that under Duterte's term, Chinese nationals continue to poach giant clams and destroy coral reefs in the Scarborough Shoal.

Batongbacal also recounted the Chinese Navy's reported harassment of Filipino troops in Ayungin Shoal in 2018.

He also mentioned the Recto Bank incident last June when 22 Filipino fishermen were abandoned in open sea after a Chinese fishing vessel hit their boat.

Authorities have yet to determine whether the said allision was intentional or not.

"All of that shows that China has continued to act the same way it has acted before. The change in policy has not really moderated China's behavior in the West Philippine Sea," Batongbacal said.

"Incidents continue to happen but the government, because of its change in policy has chosen to always downplay it," he added.

The Duterte administration, in a bid to strengthen economic ties with China, has chosen to set aside the arbitral ruling in 2016 which invalidated China's claim in the West Philippine Sea.

Malacañang, however, previously said the arbitral ruling was "not shelved" by the government.

"This administration never shelved the arbitral ruling. It only remains unenforceable because no foreign force seems persuaded to help us enforce it, and neither do we have the capability of enforcing it alone by force," presidential spokesperson Salvador Panelo said. — BAP, GMA News