Palace welcomes SC ruling junking petition to compel Duterte to protect nat'l territory

Malacañang on Wednesday welcomed the Supreme Court's decision junking a petition seeking to compel President Rodrigo Duterte to defend the country's national territory and legal claims in the West Philippine Sea, including against aggression coming from China.

Acting presidential spokesperson Karlo Nograles was referring to the Supreme Court decision dated in June this year but only released Wednesday or eight days after China's coast guard fired water cannons at two Philippine supply vessels en route to Ayungin Shoal which is within the Philippines' exclusive economic zone in the West Philippine Sea.

"We welcome the decision of the Supreme Court dismissing the petition for mandamus filed against President Rodrigo Duterte. Executive power, indeed, rests on the President, including the peaceful and stable conduct of foreign affairs," Nograles said.

"Matters within the President's discretion cannot be compelled by mandamus. President Duterte is the chief architect of foreign policy and this is affirmed by the latest decision of the High Court," he added.

Nograles has also said that Duterte is consistent in his position that disputes in the West Philippine Sea should never be settled using force.

"Having said this, the President has firmly kept his position to continue the peaceful resolution of disputes," he added.

The President has called out China's November 16 water cannon attack as abhorrent, saying it does not speak well of the relationship between Manila and Beijing.

China has since then justified its actions as a legitimate action by arguing that the Philippine vessels were trespassing.

The two Philippine supply vessels already reached Ayungin Shoal to resupply Filipino troops there on board BRP Sierra Madre on Tuesday.

However, Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said a Chinese coast guard ship in the vicinity of Ayungin Shoal sent a rubber boat manned by three people to take photos and videos while the supplies were being unloaded at BRP Sierra Madre, the old Navy ship that serves as the Philippine outpost in the area. —KG, GMA News