Palace on China reclamation activities in EEZ: What can we do?

Presidential spokesman Harry Roque Jr. asked what the Philippine government can do about China’s continued reclamation activities in the country’s exclusive economic zone, which he said started before President Rodrigo Duterte came to power in 2016.

Roque made the remark when asked if it was the Duterte administration’s policy to allow China to do whatever it wanted on islands and features in the Philippines’ EEZ.

“Hindi po sa okay, pero anong magagawa po natin eh dati na namang nasa possession nila ang Mischief Reef. Nawala po sa atin ang Mischief Reef, 1995 pa. At totoo po na talagang ginagawa nilang mga base militar iyan pero nagsimula po iyang proseso na iyan mula po nang naghain tayo ng arbitration nga,” Roque said.

[It is not to say it is okay, but what can we do when they have been long in possession of Mischief Reef? We lost that back in 1995. And it is true that China made it a military base since we sued them before the Arbitration court in the Hague.]

Roque was referring to the 2013 action of the Aquino administration when the Philippine government sued China before the Hague-based Permanent Court of Arbitration.

The suit was prompted by the prolonged standoff between the Philippines and China at the Scarborough Shoal, a traditional fishing ground in the West Philippine Sea.

Before the Philippines took China to court in The Hague, Manila and Beijing agreed to simultaneously pull vessels out of the Scarborough shoal in 2012 but China did not comply with the agreement.

In a July 2016 ruling, the Permanent Court of Arbitration eventually rejected China's claim of sovereignty over the entire South China Sea and outlawed China's aggression against Filipino fisherfolk in the Scarborough Shoal.

The same Hague court decision also ruled that the Spratly Islands, Panganiban (Mischief) Reef, Ayungin (Second Thomas) Shoal and Recto (Reed) Bank are within the Philippines' EEZ.

Roque, however, argued that the Philippines’ move to seek a legal remedy was what prompted China to retaliate with reclamation activities.

“Iyan [reclamation] ang kasagutan nila sa ating arbitration. At naalala ko, may ilang mga nagsasabi na baka mamaya ay hindi rin makabuti sa atin ang arbitration na iyan kasi hindi malulutas ang pinag-aagawang isla at naging dahilan nga para ma-militarize lalo iyong problema,” Roque added.

[They retaliated with reclamation activities. And I remember there are those who said back then that the arbitration move may not be a good move for us because it will not solve the dispute and militarization will ensue.]

Aside from the Mischief Reef, China has been reclaiming islands at the Mabini Reef, Johnson Reef, and Calderon Reef.

Roque said that the Duterte administration remedied the situation by agreeing with China that Beijing will not conduct new reclamation activities in the West Philippine Sea while Duterte is the President.

“So ang usapan po, walang bagong reclamation, walang bagong teritoryo na aagawin sa atin, and they’re holding as far as that promise is concerned,” Roque said.

[What we agreed upon is that there will be no reclamation, no new territory will be taken from us.]

Pressed if the government is pursuing other options to stop existing Chinese reclamations within the Philippine EEZ, Roque did not answer the question and instead asked the reporter what she would do.

“Anong gusto mong gawin? Gusto mo bang magpadala roon ng kasundaluhan para sabihing huwag na kayong magtayo ng extension ng inyong runway diyan? Gusto mo bang lusubin na iyan ng ating mga Philippine Navy para paalisin sila? Siguro for once, ikaw ang magbigay ng kasagutan,” Roque said.

[What do you want to do? Do you want to send troops there to tell the Chinese to stop building the runway there? Do you want the Navy to make the Chinese leave the area? Maybe for once, you should provide an answer.] — DVM/NB, GMA News