DND backs Duterte remarks on arbitral court ruling vs China

The Department of National Defense on Thursday backed the statement of President Rodrigo Duterte that the Philippines’ arbitral victory against China’s massive claim in the West Philippine Sea is just a paper fit to be thrown in trash.

“According to (Defense) Secretary (Delfin) Lorenzana, what Presidente Duterte said last night regarding the PCA ruling is correct. There is no international law enforcement body that can enforce it,” DND spokesperson Arsenio Andolong said in a message to reporters.

However, he said, even without the ruling of the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) in the Hague, Netherlands, the government will continue to defend “what is rightfully ours.”

“As I said in my previous statement, the President’s orders have been firm and straightforward: we defend what is rightfully ours without going to war and maintain the peace in the seas,” he said.

Andolong said the Philippine Coast Guard and Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources will not stop conducting maritime patrols in the West Philippines Sea and Kalayaan Island Group.

PCG personnel recently challenged via radio the Chinese militia vessels spotted in Sabina Shoal, which is within the Philippines exclusive economic zone. The Chinese vessels dispersed after the radio challenge

In April, the National Task Force on the West Philippine Sea (NTF-WPS) said the patrols spotted two Houbei class missile warships at Panganiban Reef, one Corvette class warship at Kagitingan Reef, and one navy tugboat at Zamora Reef.

There were also two People's Liberation Army Navy vessels seen in Bajo de Masinloc.

The presence of the Chinese navy vessels were on top of the estimated 240 Chinese militia vessels scatterred in the territorial waters off Kalayaan in Palawan and in the Philippines exclusive economic zone.

Of the 240 Chinese militia, 136 were at Burgos Reef, nine at Julian Felipe Reef, 65 at Chigua Reef, six at Panganiban Reef, three at Zamora Reef, four at Pag-asa Islands, one at Likas Island, five at Kota Island, and 11 at Ayungin Shoal.

Lorenzana repeatedly called on China to leave and stop its illegal activities in the WPS.

The Department of Foreign Affairs filed several diplomatic protests over the Chinese vessels in the WPS.—AOL, GMA News