PH strengthens alliances to defend WPS, democracy – Romualdez

House Speaker Martin Romualdez Photo from House of Representatives

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippines has strengthened its alliances with like-minded countries to defend the West Philippine Sea (WPS) and the country’s democracy, according to House Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez.

In his speech at the commemoration of the 80th anniversary of the Leyte Landings in Palo, Leyte on Sunday, Romualdez said the country faces a “new battlefield” where “the enemy is no longer a foreign invader but the threats to our territorial integrity, the undermining of international laws, and the growing tensions in the West Philippine Sea.”

“Just as our forefathers fought side by side with allies in the past, today, we strengthen our alliances with like-minded nations to defend the principles of freedom and democracy. This is a new war — a war for peace, stability, and the preservation of our way of life,” Romualdez said during ribbon-cutting rites for an exhibit of the Philippine Veterans Bank dedicated to World War II veterans.

He also reiterated that the country is committed to protecting its sovereign rights, as the fight to secure the WPS is not only about territorial integrity but also about the rights and future of Filipinos.

“We continue to advocate for the peaceful resolution of disputes, guided by the principles enshrined in the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. We honor the legacy of our veterans by ensuring that our nation’s sovereignty is respected, especially in the West Philippine Sea,” he added.

The Leyte Gulf Landing refers to the fulfillment of United States General Douglas MacArthur’s promise that he would return to the Philippines to liberate it from Japanese forces occupying the country.

Over the years, MacArthur’s return has been celebrated as a key point in US-Philippines ties.

Romualdez did not mention who threatens the country’s territorial integrity during his speech on Sunday, but last August 16, he condemned China’s continued intrusion in the WPS, saying the China Coast Guard’s (CCG) activities are becoming “increasingly aggressive.”

The CCG ship rammed a Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) vessel near Escoda (Sabina) Shoal last August 25. Escoda Shoal is in the WPS and within the country’s 200 nautical mile exclusive economic zone.

A video taken by the Philippine Daily Inquirer showed CCG Ship 21551 hitting BRP Datu Sanday while some of its personnel were seen filming the incident, around 10 nautical miles off Escoda Shoal.

Another video showed that the CCG ship 4102 fired a water cannon against BRP Datu Sanday while en route to the shoal. Six CCG vessels simultaneously fired water cannons against the BFAR vessel.

READ: West PH Sea: China Coast Guard ship rams BFAR vessel near Escoda Shoal 

China has been claiming key areas in the WPS despite the 2016 arbitral award declaring China’s nine-dash line invalid due to a lack of legal and historical bases.

READ: PH wins arbitration case over South China Sea

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said the Philippines will not yield an inch of its territory while he is President.

Last October 10, Marcos reportedly challenged Chinese Premier Li Qiang over the recent incidents in the WPS during the regional summits of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) in Laos.

A Southeast Asian diplomat who attended the meeting told reporters that Marcos raised the issue during the meeting with Li, quoting Marcos as saying that “you cannot separate economic cooperation from political security.”

Marcos also stepped up the ante, telling Asean and China that they cannot pretend that all is well on the economic front when there are tensions on the political front.

READ: Marcos challenges China’s premier over West Philippine Sea at Asean meet