Hontiveros: Marcos should speak 'clearly, unequivocally' to China about maritime issues

Senator Risa Hontiveros on Tuesday said President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. should speak clearly and unequivocally to the Chinese government to address maritime issues in the West Philippine Sea (WPS).

The opposition lawmaker said this when asked in a television interview on what should be done to make China listen to the Philippines and finally put a stop to its maritime operations in the WPS.

“Kailangan magbuo ng loob si Presidente to speak clearly and unequivocally para marinig siya at maintindihan ng Tsina. He cannot say that a compromise has not yet been reached, for example on Ayungin Shoal,” Hontiveros said in an interview on ANC.

(The President needs to develop the courage to speak clearly and unequivocally so that China can hear and understand him.)

Marcos earlier said the Philippines has used the communication mechanism he proposed in Beijing following reports that the Chinese coast guard drove away Filipino fishers in waters off Ayungin Shoal.

The President said he is hoping that the Chinese side would bring the information to Chinese President Xi Jinping.

During his state visit to Beijing earlier this month, Marcos said he and Xi agreed to "find a compromise and find a solution that will be beneficial so that [Filipino] fishermen might be able to fish again in their natural fishing grounds."

However, Hontiveros argued that there should be no compromises when it comes to national sovereignty, citing the Philippines' legal victory in 2016 in The Hague.

"There can be no compromise on national sovereignty. Sinabi na ni Presidente noong kampanya [that] he will not seed one square inch of Philippine territory. I-apply din niya sa katubigan, that he will not seed one square water unit of measurement sa ating exclusive economic zone at sa ating national territory," she said.

(The President already said during the campaign that he will not seed one square inch of Philippine territory. He needs to also apply this to our waters, that he will not seed one square water unit of measurement in our exclusive economic zone and in our national territory.)

The Philippines sued China before an international arbitral tribunal in The Hague in 2013. The court ruled in favor of the Philippines in July 2016 when it junked China's nine-dash claim over the South China Sea.

China, however, rejected the Philippines' call to comply with the 2016 arbitration ruling, calling the decision "illegal and invalid." —KBK, GMA Integrated News