MANILA – Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon said it is time to abandon the policy of appeasement and accommodation after China remained undeterred by the country’s filing of diplomatic protests over the presence of Chinese ships in its territory.
Defense secretary Delfin Lorenzana also ordered the Chinese military “to leave the country’s sovereign territories and abide by international law” but it seems that China remains unbothered.
“Ang problema natin, hindi na tayo pinapansin dahil pinabayaan natin iyan noon. Iyan ay resulta ng appeasement and accommodation policy natin sa China. Kaya patuloy na hindi tayo papansinin dahilan sa policy na iyan,” Drilon said in a radio interview.
“What we see now are the fruits of the policy of appeasement and accommodation towards China,” stressed Drilon. He cited some examples such as the continued incursion of around 160 Chinese vessels in the West Philippine Sea (WPS) and the growing cases of coronavirus disease 2019 in the country. He said that the surge could be prevented immediately if the country banned travelers from Wuhan, China, where the virus originated.
The country must also get the support of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, particularly countries with claims on the South China Sea to strengthen our stance on the WPS issue, saying “bilateral talks with China on the maritime dispute does not work in the country’s favor.”
According to him, the President should initiate a move to present a united front with other claimants in the WPS “in order to make China realize that what it is doing is wrong and against international laws.”
He added the ruling of the Permanent Court of Arbitration in favor of the Philippines is the basis of the government in rightfully and forcefully asserting the country’s claims on the WPS.
He also invalidated the alleged “verbal fishing agreement” between the Philippines and China saying that an executive agreement or a treaty must be in written form.
Any agreement should also be in accordance with the Constitution, our sovereignty, and must conform with the international tribunal decision./PN
