Albert del Rosario: ‘Duterte should listen to Filipinos, not to Chinese envoy’

MANILA, Philippines — President Duterte and his officials should “cast aside their fear of displeasing China” and listen to Filipinos and not to the Chinese ambassador, former foreign affairs chief Albert del Rosario said on Tuesday.

“We need to listen, not to the Chinese ambassador, but to our people. We need to embrace, not China, but our own country,” Del Rosario said in remarks at the launch of the book “Rock Solid” authored by Marites Dañguilan Vitug.

With a UN-backed international tribunal ruling in favor of the country’s legal case against China’s maritime claims, Del Rosario said the Duterte administration should now be able to assert the Philippines’ entitlements under international law without fear of undue retaliation from the Asian giant.

Del Rosario was part of the legal team which defended the Philippine position on the West Philippine Sea issue before an international tribunal based in The Hague.

“In diplomatically moving forward to do what needs to be done, the President and his men will not be alone. In defending what is right, we will be joined by all Filipinos,” he said.

“In this fight for what is right and in defense against an unlawful aggressor who is out to demolish the rule of law, raise tension and create chaos, we must have faith in our friends, our allies and the resilient spirit of the Filipino people,” Del Rosario added.

He said Vitug’s book detailed China’s persistent attacks on Philippine sovereignty “as our government continues to sit on their hands.”

The Philippines’ filing an arbitral case, he said, was a bold step against a mounting tyranny, which was expected of any nation in a rules-based international order.

“The Philippines took a measured risk in order to protect what rightfully belongs to it,” Del Rosario said.

“To subsequently afford China a soft diplomacy is a clear mockery, not only of our people, but of the whole of the rules-based international system,” he pointed out.

On the second anniversary of the arbitral court’s issuance of a decision on July 12, Del Rosario expressed dismay at the Philippines’ becoming a “willing victim” and an “abettor” of China.

In a text message to The STAR, Del Rosario also chided Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana for parroting Beijing’s official line that the arbitral court’s ruling was an “empty victory.”

“Let me say that I shudder at what my friend, Del, appears to be saying, which is beginning to sound like China’s narrative,” Del Rosario said, referring to Lorenzana by his nickname.

“While responsible states are hailing our Hague decision as a milestone in international law, why is our own defense minister appearing to now denigrate an overwhelming victory for the Filipino people?” he said.

He said Lorenzana also appeared to insinuate that the United Nations has noting to do with the Philippines’ case.

“Our case was decided under UNCLOS (United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea) which is a convention of the United Nations. The decision or ruling for the Philippines is now an integral part of international law,” Del Rosario pointed out. – With Jose Katigbak, STAR Washington bureau