PH eyes diplomatic means to resolve SCS dispute

MALACAÑANG ON Wednesday maintained that the Philippines will pursue a “peaceful and diplomatic” approach to resolve its long-standing dispute with China in the hotly-contested South China Sea (West Philippine Sea).

“We are looking at peaceful and diplomatic means to resolve the issues surrounding the West Philippine Sea,” Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said in a press statement.

Roque issued the statement, in response to a poll by the Social Weather Stations (SWS), which found that majority of Filipinos want the Philippines to assert its rights in the South China Sea.

Around 70 percent of Filipinos believed that the Philippine government should assert its rights over the islands in the disputed waters, according to the July 3 to 6 survey by SWS and commissioned by Stratbase Albert Del Rosario Institute.

Only 13 percent said otherwise, while 15 percent were undecided.

On July 12, 2016, the Philippines won its arbitration case filed against China when the Hague-based Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) ruled that Beijing has “no legal basis” to claim historic rights over almost the entire South China Sea.

Roque said Manila has to look for other ways to address the sea dispute since the arbitral ruling cannot be enforced.

“Unfortunately, the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) ruling has no way of being enforced by the body which rendered it, so we must look to other means to resolve the dispute,” he said.

PH not dropping PCA victory

Roque, however, clarified that the government is not dropping the country’s South China Sea arbitration victory against Beijing.

“As we have said in previous occasions, the Philippine government continues to assert our rights over the disputed areas in the West Philippine Sea in accordance with the 2016 Arbitral Ruling. We have not waived nor have we relinquished these rights,” he said.

On Sunday, Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. urged China to comply with the arbitral ruling which he said is “non-negotiable.”

China, however, snubbed Locsin’s call on Monday, stressing that the PCA’s decision favoring the Philippines is “illegal and invalid.”

On Tuesday, Roque said the Philippines will maintain its “friendly” ties with China despite Beijing’s decision to again reject Manila’s call to recognize the PCA verdict.

Roque, however, clarified that the latest plan was not meant to abandon the Philippines’ historic arbitration victory against China. (By Ruth Abbey Gita-Carlos)