(Photo courtesy of PCO)
Malacañang on Wednesday maintained that Philippine officials have the right to defend the country’s territorial and maritime interests in the West Philippine Sea (WPS), even as the government continues diplomatic engagements with China to manage tensions in the disputed waters.
Presidential Communications Office Undersecretary and Palace Press Officer Claire Castro said diplomatic discussions should remain the preferred approach in resolving differences between countries, but these should not prevent Philippine leaders from fulfilling their responsibility to protect national interests.
“Mas maganda po na lahat ng pakikipag-usap sa anumang bansa ay dapat nadadaan sa diplomasya pero hindi natin mapipigilan ang iba nating mga liderato na ang mandato ay ipagtanggol ang ating karapatan at ang interes natin sa West Philippine Sea,” Castro said during a Palace briefing.
Her remarks followed reports of a telephone conversation between Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and Foreign Affairs Secretary Ma. Theresa Lazaro, during which both sides reportedly agreed to manage their differences responsibly, stabilize bilateral relations and explore areas of mutual interest.
During the reported exchange, Wang allegedly urged the Philippine government to restrain politicians who had repeatedly criticized Beijing and crossed what China described as its “red lines.”
The conversation came amid renewed diplomatic tensions between Manila and Beijing over competing maritime claims and recent exchanges involving government officials.
Earlier in October, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) summoned Chinese Ambassador Jing Quan after he reportedly claimed that China would “easily win” a conflict with the Philippines.
Several senators subsequently called for the ambassador’s expulsion over his remarks.
China continues to assert sweeping claims over much of the South China Sea, including areas within the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone (EEZ).
However, a 2016 international arbitral ruling found no legal basis for Beijing’s expansive historic rights claims under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).
Teodoro cites stronger Philippine position in WPS
Meanwhile, Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. said the Marcos administration has adopted a firmer approach in protecting the country’s maritime rights, emphasizing the need to strengthen national defense capabilities.
In a radio interview, Teodoro said the administration recognizes the importance of improving the country’s ability to assert its rights and safeguard Filipinos amid continuing maritime disputes.
“The achievement of this administration is to come to grips with reality that we have to be stronger and assert ourselves more in order to protect our people more,” Teodoro said when asked about the administration’s accomplishments in the WPS.
He also urged succeeding administrations to maintain continuity in national defense policies, warning that abrupt changes in priorities could disrupt long-term security programs and ongoing modernization efforts.
Teodoro cited the Department of National Defense’s continuing initiatives, in coordination with the Armed Forces of the Philippines, to strengthen the country’s ability to exercise its rights within its EEZ and continental shelves.
The defense chief emphasized the importance of sustaining these efforts to ensure that the Philippines remains capable of protecting its maritime interests.
The Palace, meanwhile, reiterated that diplomatic engagement with China does not diminish the responsibility of Philippine officials to uphold the country’s rights and interests in the West Philippine Sea.
