Imee defends short mention of WPS issue in Marcos' SONA

Senate foreign relations chair Imee Marcos on Thursday said the Philippine government’s approach to the West Philippine issue must be “very pragmatic and prudent.”

The lawmaker made the remark amid observations that the WPS issue was only mentioned briefly by her brother, President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. in his second State of the Nation Address (SONA).

“Sa palagay ko, ‘yung sa West Philippine Sea, talaga namang kinakailangan ng very pragmatic and prudent approach and as a result it’s a working progress,” she said.

“Perhaps, that’s what the president had in mind— that we all calm down, de-escalate tensions in the West Philippine Sea and in the Taiwan Strait, not constantly talk about it and embark on a worthless word war, but rather to exercise the utmost restraint and tolerance and prudence, at the same time, opening as many lines of communications as possible and exploring all options available,” she added.

For Senator Marcos, the most important thing is to prevent further escalation of tension in the area as she warned that this might lead to a “terrible and dangerous mistake.”

“Ang sabi kasi ng iba ‘Let’s stop poking the panda.’ Napipikon tayo, pikon na pikon sila— anong gagawin natin? Magkakapikunan tayo, magkaka-initan ng ulo, eh saan mauuwi yan?” she asked.

“I think terrible and dangerous mistakes will be made if we carry on like this and instead, we should be grown up about all our resentments and our roiling angers and instead, try to do the very best to de-escalate tension at every opportunity,” she added.

Arbitral ruling

While many of her colleagues are keen on adopting a resolution urging the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) to raise China’s incursions before the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), Senator Marcos expressed reservations on this.

She echoed the concern of Senator Alan Peter Cayetano that this might weaken the 2016 Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) ruling which invalidated China’s massive claims over the South China Sea.

“In my opinion…we already have in hand the arbitral judgment which is far more powerful and important. Furthermore, I also worry that we may not generate the votes necessary,” she said.

“Ang laking kahihiyan pag natalo pa tayo sa General Assembly. Sigurado ba tayong mananalo tayo dyan? Baka sa ASEAN lang diretso na ang boto eh mas lalong malulusaw ang ating claim…Naku, diyos ko! Talagang kahihiyan yan,” she added.

For Senator Marcos, a UNGA resolution might further agitate China adding that this is not enforceable unlike the arbitral ruling that favored Philippines’ claim over the West Philippine Sea.

“Eh syempre maasar na naman yon… Also, what will be the practical effect of the general assembly resolution be? ‘Di ba expressing the sense…anong mangyayari? Eh meron na nga tayong judgment, meron na nga tayong pinal na arbitral award… enforceable. Ito bang general assembly resolution enforceable ba ‘yan? Hindi,” she said.

On Wednesday, Senator Risa Hontiveros sponsored Senate Resolution 659 in a bid to bring up the issue of China’s intrusions in the WPS before the UNGA.

However, it was not adopted as Senator Alan Peter Cayetano argued that the UN might not be the proper forum, saying that China prefers bilateral talks on territorial disputes and that President Marcos  did not mention this course of action as part of the government’s strategy. —VAL, GMA Integrated News