MANILA, Philippines — Expressing helplessness in the face of China’s encroaching on Philippine territory is “an absolutely mindless” declaration from presidential spokesman Salvador Panelo.
This was according to former foreign affairs chief Albert del Rosario in reaction to Panelo’s statement that the 2016 arbitral decision invalidating China’s massive maritime claim is “unenforceable.”
Del Rosario castigated the spokesman for readily bowing to China “without lifting a finger.”
On Sunday, Panelo said that while the administration has never shelved the arbitral tribunal ruling, “it only remains unenforceable because no foreign force seems persuaded to help us enforce it.”
Duterte had earlier announced his administration’s decision to set the ruling aside as part of his pivot to China.
“The aforementioned as expressed by the presidential spokesperson is absolutely mindless,” Del Rosario said in a statement.
“It is mindless as our presidential spokesperson appears to be in surrender without lifting a finger to peacefully defend what is ours,” he said.
Del Rosario also belied Panelo’s statement that the Duterte government had never shelved the 2016 arbitral ruling won by the Philippines against China.
“The presidential spokesperson has declared that the arbitral ruling was never shelved. Our records would indicate otherwise,” he added.
He quoted President Duterte as saying in a speech on Aug. 29, 2016 during National Heroes’ Day, “I will not use the arbitral judgment now. But I would one day sit in front of your representative or you and then I will lay bare my position. And I would say that, ‘this paper, I cannot get out of the four corners of this document.’ And that is the arbitral judgment.”
In his comment at a press conference on Dec. 17, 2016 after his arrival from a state visit to Cambodia and Singapore, Duterte stated, “In the play of politics now, I will set aside the arbitral ruling.”
“Is the presidential spokesperson credibly asserting our rightful position against China? If he is not doing this, what in heaven’s name is he doing?” Del Rosario said.
As this developed, residents of Pag-asa Island reported that Chinese maritime vessels that had swarmed the island municipality were now positioned farther from the coast.
“The Chinese ships, all fishing boats, can still be seen but already further out in the open sea,” said a Kalayaan Island resident.
Residents also said a civilian motorboat delivered construction materials to Pag-asa without getting harassed by the Chinese. – With Jaime Laude, Paolo Romero