Palace on proposal to raise arbitration victory before UN: Be realistic

The Philippines should not expect the United Nations (UN) to back the country’s position on its maritime row with China in the South China Sea given Beijing’s influence over the 193-member body, Malacañang said Friday.

At a news conference in Baguio City, presidential spokesperson Harry Roque asked everyone to be “realistic” about the Philippines’ chances of getting a favorable action from the UN General Assembly, which kicked off its 75th session this week.

“Hindi po natin mase-sway ang [193] member ng UN kung ang kalaban po natin ay Tsina dahil alam naman natin limited ang ating kakayahan. At sa pulitika money talks, iyan po talaga even in international relations,” said Roque, a former professor of international law.

Roque also said China—the world’s second biggest economy—can veto a draft resolution presented to the 15-member UN Security Council, which is considered the most powerful organ of the UN.

The Security Council is empowered to investigate any dispute or situation which might lead to international friction and can even take military action against an aggressor.

Former foreign affairs secretary Albert del Rosario said on Friday that the Philippines should raise before the UN its arbitral tribunal victory in 2016 over China after Germany, France, and the United Kingdom expressed support for the ruling that invalidated Beijing's massive claims in the disputed waters.

China does not recognize the decision handed down by the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague, insisting it had historic rights over the waters, where other smaller Asian nations like the Philippines have overlapping claims.

In September last year, former Palace spokesperson Salvador Panelo said raising the 2016 arbitral ruling at the 74th session of the General Assembly would be a “futile exercise” since the body had no enforcement mechanism.

Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. had also said the Philippines would lose in the UN, claiming it is “dominated by countries grateful to China for its indisputable generosity in development aid.”

In the meantime, Roque said the Philippines will proceed with its bilateral relations with China, especially on matters related to trade and investment.—AOL, GMA News