VP says gov’t should talk with Beijing on arbitral ruling over WPS

MANILA, Philippines — Vice President Sara Duterte on Sunday said the government should talk with Beijing regarding the 2016 arbitral ruling that affirmed the Philippines’ sovereign rights in the West Philippines Sea, as she once again criticized President Marcos for “tilting” toward the United States.

Speaking to supporters during a rally in Seoul, South Korea, the Vice President slammed Marcos over his lack of a “clear” independent foreign policy, pointing out that the constitution states that the Philippines should not side with any foreign country.

“That is in our constitution—that we will not lean to any foreigner for our country. But what do we see now? We see the militarization of our nation, the entry of Americans in various areas of our country. The establishment of arms factories in our country,” she said in Filipino.

READ: Sara Duterte: ‘I am not pro any country at all’

She noted that during Marcos’ official visit to the United States last week, US President Donald Trump had said that the Philippines had “tilted towards China” and now is “tilting towards the United States.”

“That is not right because what was provided in the constitution is [for us to have an] independent foreign policy,” Duterte said.

The Vice President then criticized the government over its actions in the West Philippine Sea, saying that the Philippines should instead “talk” with Beijing regarding the 2016 arbitral award on the South China Sea.

“What are they doing in the West Philippine Sea? They are clashing with China. We have an arbitral award. It is telling us the West Philippine Sea is ours. What should we do? Bring it to Beijing. Let us talk this over… You shouldn’t be fighting there at sea,” she said.

Through the ruling, the Permanent Court of Arbitration in the Hague, Netherlands, affirmed the Philippines’ sovereign rights over the West Philippine Sea and dismissed China’s claims regarding the “nine-dash” line for having no legal basis.

China, however, has refused to recognize the arbitral award, with the Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson describing it as “nothing but a piece of waste paper that is illegal, null and void, and non-binding” in a statement last July 12, during the nine-year anniversary of the said ruling.

Duterte also slammed Marcos over his statement regarding the conflict between Thailand and Cambodia, in which the President said the Philippines “stands ready to assist in any way to restore peace.”

READ: Marcos calls for peaceful resolution of Cambodia-Thailand conflict

“What did he say now about the territorial conflict of Cambodia and Thailand? He said, ‘the Philippines will help bring peace there.’ But what is he doing in our country? He is helping foreign interests. The interests of foreign nations to fight with other countries,” she said.

Cambodia and Thailand had been locked in a deadly border conflict, with the dispute dating back decades ago although past confrontations have been limited and brief.

Tensions, however, flared up in May after a Cambodian soldier was killed in a confrontation that created a diplomatic rift between the two countries. /cb