Hindi lang puso ang kailangan kundi talino, analyst says

Security expert Professor Rommel Banlaoi on Thursday took a swipe at Foreign Affairs Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano for saying that "puso" (heart) is the country's leverage against China in connection with the dispute over West Philippine Sea.

In a phone interview on Balitanghali, Banlaoi said more than heart the government also needs intelligence to address the issue of Chinese militarization in the region.

"Hindi lamang puso kundi talino, kailangan natin ng talino dito. China is a very smart country, we need smarter positions to outsmart China," he said.

"Militarily, hindi natin kayang gawin 'yan kaya ang pwede nating gawin ay mapalakas 'yung ating diplomatic skill, mapalakas 'yung ating leverage, mapalakas ang ating negotiating skill," Banlaoi added.

On Wednesday, Cayetano was asked during the briefing of the National Task Force for the West Philippine Sea on what could be the country's advantage over China, to which he replied, "Pasensya na po kayo sa sagot ko pero sasagutin ko kayo sa lenggwahe ng basketball — puso."

"Mas matangkad sila, mas masustansya ang kinakain nila, mas mahal ang coach nila, 'yung coliseum nila enggrande. Pero tayo [may] puso," he added.

The word "puso" has been associated with Gilas Pilipinas, the Philippine's national men's basketball team who represents the country in various international competitions.

Meanwhile, Banlaoi said the Philippines must continue to uphold the 2016 ruling of the Hague-based Permanent Court of Arbitration that invalidated China's claim over most of the West Philippine Sea.

"Sa tingin ko, 'yung resulta ng international tribunal ay isang malaking card natin na pwede nating gamitin sa China. Patuloy nating panindigan 'yung desisyon ng arbitral tribunal kasi sa tingin ko takot ang China sa resulta ng decision na 'yan," he said.

The arbitration tribunal's ruling, which China refused to honor, spelled out the Philippines’ sovereign rights to access offshore oil and gas fields, including the Reed Bank, within its 200-nautical mile exclusive economic zone. —KBK, GMA News