By Marichu A. Villanueva
The Philippine Star
The Philippine Star
Our resident punster Al Pedroche, editor-in-chief of our leading tabloid Ang Pilipino Star Ngayon, posted in his Facebook a good solution to the raging debate on how to settle the territorial dispute over Spratly islands in South China Sea.
Kuya Al shared this com-monsense solution to the issue. He wrote: “Vietnam calls South China Sea — East Sea. Now we want to call it West Philippine Sea to reinforce our claim to the Spratlys. We can only resolve this thorny issue with another ‘sea,’ and that is “diploma-sea.” We aren’t capable to fight tooth and nail in this regard.” (sic)
It sounds funny but really it’s the best that we can do in our situation as a puny nation faced with a superpower like China. Amid all these tough talks coming from Filipino politicians, these are nothing really but sound and fury.
Methinks likewise the better part of virtue is to diplomatically settle this territorial dispute in the negotiating table among all country claimants, possibly with third party arbiter like, say the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN). But China has made it clear that such discussions on the South China Sea issue must be only among countries that have claims on it and frown upon any third party arbitration.
Aside from China and the Philippines, Vietnam, Brunei, Malaysia, and Taiwan are the other claimant countries of these atolls, reefs, shoals and islets around South China Sea. Except for Taiwan and China, the rest of the claimant countries are also member states of the ASEAN. So there should be no problem if ASEAN, as a group, would figure in new arbitration talks on the Spratlys dispute.
There has been relative calm and peace in the past among these claimant countries abiding by the 2002 Declaration of Code of Conduct in the disputed mineral-rich areas of Spratlys. Tension in the area erupted anew only early this year when two Chinese military ships were reportedly involved in “harassment” of a civilian research vessel under contract with the Department of Energy (DOE) on mineral exploration mission. Subsequently, Chinese fighter jets reportedly “buzzed” World War II vintage OV-Bronco planes of the Philippine Air Force on routine flight over the Spratlys air space.
This led to a flurry of notes verbale from the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) to the Chinese Embassy in Manila calling the attention of Beijing on the conduct of these activities over the disputed territories. Beijing has denied the accusations and deplored extraneous statements from some quarters that do not help resolve the issues.
The latest official pronouncements from Malacañang Palace declared that the Philippines, for the sake of consistency, would henceforth refer to the disputed area as West Philippine Sea. Rightfully so because the disputed territories, the biggest of which is called Kalayaan Island Group, are well within the 200-mile exclusive economic zone (EEZ) of the Philippines as recognized in the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).
In his press conference at the Palace yesterday, President Aquino even made a mental arithmetic of the breadth and length of the West Philippine Sea. By the UNCLOS principle, the Chief Executive calculated the country’s 200-mile EEZ that embraced the islets, shoals, atolls and reefs at West Philippine Sea is certainly much closer than China’s 576 miles.
I heard a radio interview yesterday with Paranaque City Rep. Roilo Golez who candidly admitted making noise is a good strategy for small guys to deal with “bullies” in the neighborhood. Of course, Golez referred to China as the bully causing the renewed tension in the territorial dispute in Spratlys, which the Chinese call as its own “Nansha.”
Speaking from Philippine experience, Golez reminded the public on the discovery of military-like structures put up in Mischief Reef in 1995. Golez recalled Beijing issued official denials and claimed that these structures were only meant as shelter-refuge for Chinese fishing vessels. As it turned out later, Golez noted, China did not only expand them but transformed it into full-blown military garrison installed with satellite equipment.
Once a national security adviser of the previous administration, Golez conceded the Spratlys tension might eventually draw the United States into this territorial dispute of the Philippines with China. Under the 1951 Mutual Defense Treaty (MDT) of the Philippines with the US, he pointed out, armed aggression or invasion by another country of any Philippine territory is one of the grounds to warrant American military intervention.
By stroke of fate, US ambassador Harry Thomas was at The STAR editorial office yesterday for talks with editors and we got to ask him about Golez’ views on the MDT amid the renewed tension over Spratlys.
While still in the Annapolis Naval Academy, Thomas said, the young Golez had with his brigade of midshipmen notable American figures like now US Senator Jim Webb. A Senator from the Democrat Party of US President Barack Obama, Webb now chairs the Senate subcommittee overseeing US policy toward East Asia. News dispatch from Washington yesterday quoted Webb calling for the US government to condemn China’s use of force and pushed for multilateral negotiations to resolve South China Sea dispute.
On a light note, Thomas cited Golez as having distinguished himself as “the first to win four years in a row boxing championship” in his weight division at his alma mater. “We salute Roi’s boxing prowess. He is the Manny Pacquiao of Annapolis!” Thomas quipped. Levity aside, Thomas said he “respects the opinion” of Golez on the issue but won’t add comment on the Congressman’s take on the MDT.
We have a rush of nationalists coming out with their bold statements, short of declaring war with China on this territorial conflict on islets, reefs and atolls that disappear on high tides and emerge again at low tide. We don’t have the military might but Filipinos have the gift of gab that could very well pass for diplomacy.
If you look at our country’s map, the disputed West Philippine Sea, aka, Spratlys, could be seen very near the Palawan province. We could not afford to lose sight of our precious territories slowly annexed out of our country’s map.
No comments:
Post a Comment