By Priam F. Nepomuceno
MANILA – Department of National Defense (DND) Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. on Wednesday clarified that the country is not picking fights or looking for any when it stands up for its rights in the West Philippine Sea (WPS).
“Unang una, and most importantly, hindi naman tayo nakikipag-away eh, pero naninindigan naman tayo (First of all, and most importantly, we are not looking for a fight, but we are only making a stand),” he said in a chance interview with reporters in Cebu City.
Teodoro was responding to comments that the Philippines should not confront China over its claims in the WPS because of the vast differences in their respective militaries’ strength and size.
“Pero kung pinaglalaban natin ay batas at ang kinabukasan ng ating mga susunod na henerasyon (But if we are fighting for the rule of law and the future of the next generation), I think there’s no compromise,” he said.
Earlier, retired Navy reservist Rear Admiral Roy Vincent Trinidad, Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) spokesperson for the WPS, clarified that Philippine officials are not picking fights with China even as they strive to protect the country’s sovereignty in the vital waterway.
“Hindi po tayo nakikipag-away sa kahit sino mang bansa sa WPS. Tayo lamang ay tumatayo sa ating karapatan na pinagkaloob ng Diyos sa atin, yung ating maritime entitlements, yung ating sovereignty and sovereign rights (we are not picking fights with any country regarding the WPS. We are just standing up for our God-given rights, our maritime entitlements, our sovereignty and sovereign rights),” he said.
Trinidad was referring to calls from some sectors asking the country to tone down its stance on the issue.
“We are not fighting any other country. Ito ay tinatayuan natin sapagkat ito ay mandato ng inyong DND and AFP (we are standing up for this because this is the mandate of the DND and AFP),” he said.
He also said they want the next generation of Filipinos to inherit a whole and free country.
“And all those maritime entitlements within the EEZ (exclusive economic zone) will be for them to benefit,” Trinidad said. (PNA)
