Locsin: Philippines owes no thank you to EU countries supporting arbitral victory in West Philippine Sea

Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. on Wednesday said the country owes no gratitude to European countries that are expressing support to the arbitral ruling that affirmed the Philippines' claim in the West Philippine Sea.

"The arbitral award stands on its own merit. It is a judicial award. It is now part of the international law. If I were to say thank you to Europe, then it would seem that the validity, the strength, and the power of that decision depends on the support of these European countries. I don't give a damn about them," he said during the Commission on Appointments' deliberation on the nomination of Ambassador to the Netherlands Jose Eduardo Enciso Malaya III.

"We won that fair and square, we won that all by ourselves. Many countries in Europe were not with us because they saw the wealth of China," he said.

This was Locsin's manifestation after Senator Francis Tolentino asked if Malaya would be eager to follow up with the Hague-based tribunal on the implementation of the ruling.

"Your embassy is walking distance to the International Court, the Arbitral Court... There are now some European nations, even the United States who petitioned the court to implement positively that ruling," Tolentino told Malaya.

Locsin stood firm that the ruling is already made. He advised Malaya to "be careful not to be too enthusiastic," to the point that the weight of the already handed-down decision would be diminished.

Solidarity

Last July, the United States likewise expressed solidarity with Southeast Asian nations involved with territorial disputes with China.

"When Secretary of State [Michael] Pompeo spoke up for it, that is different because that—I do not accept as adding to the validity or the strength of the arbitral award—but what it does is it gives military power to it," the Foreign Affairs chief told lawmakers.

"That, I said, I appreciate. Other than that, the opinions of foreigners are irrelevant to me," he added.

Locsin also opposed raising the West Philippine Sea issue again before the United Nations General Assembly as he believed that it would only be taken advantage of in the international stage.

"The only purpose for doing that is to give a forum for those who want to promote their political careers," he said, stressing that the ruling is already part of the international law.

Four years after an international court in The Hague, Netherlands handed down the ruling in favor of the Philippines, Locsin had urged China to comply and recognize the country's claims in the West Philippine Sea.

But China continued to reject the decision, calling it "illegal and invalid." — RSJ, GMA News