July 13, 2021
Five years after the historic decision of the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague in favor of the Philippines dismissing China’s claim to most of the South China Sea, some have called President Rodrigo Duterte a “traitor” for allegedly ignoring it.
“Through these acts, many Filipinos have reason to believe that our President has been discrediting our nation. For the last five years, what we see is a betrayal of the Filipino people,” said former Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario.
Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque replied that Del Rosario should be responsible for the withdrawal of Philippine Navy ships from Scarborough Shoal in 2012 when there was a standoff with Chinese ships.
Lorenzana urges public not to exaggerate tension in West PH Sea mb.com.ph - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from mb.com.ph Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Published July 12, 2021, 1:56 PM
When President Duterte himself admitted in his 2020 State of the Nation Address (SONA) that he is “inutil” (useless) regarding China’s continued presence in the West Philippine Sea, and his professed “love” for Chinese President Xi Jinping, is it not about time to reject him?
The was the question posed by former Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert Del Rosario to the Filipino people on the occasion of the fifth anniversary of the Arbitral Tribunal decision that rejected China’s excessive claim over the vast resources of the South China Sea.
Speaking at the virtual forum entitled Reinforcing the 2016 Arbitral Victory: The West Philippine Sea in the Convergence of Strategies, Del Rosario narrated Duterte’s series of pronouncements in the past five years that undermined the Arbitral Award, specifically by setting it aside in favor of economic benefits from China.
Published July 12, 2021, 12:20 PM
The enactment of the new baselines law will help the country’s maritime law enforcers protect the Philippine seas against the intrusion of foreign vessels, retired Supreme Court associate justice Francis Jardeleza said on Monday, July 12 as the country marks the 5th year of its victory over the West Philippine Sea.
The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) drove away seven more foreign fishing vessels believed to be manned by Chinese and Vietnamese fishermen off Marie Louise Bank in El Nido, Palawan on Wednesday, June 30, 2021. (Photo courtesy of the PCG)
Jardeleza said that as the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) personnel were deployed in the tension-filled areas to conduct maritime patrol in the West Philippine Sea, the new baselines law will guide them to know the specific “meets and bounds” of the extent of the country’s territorial sea in the contested area.
South China Sea: US warns China against attack on Philippine forces | News | DW dw.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from dw.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.