The Asean option

Oh well, there goes the united ASEAN option.

Listening to statements from Philippine and Chinese officials, it’s clear that neither side is budging – at least not in the near future – on territorial claims in the West Philippine Sea.

The two countries, friends from ancient times, will have to work on pushing forward other areas of cooperation even while trying to resolve the territorial dispute.

With Cambodia refusing to go along with a common ASEAN stand on the issue, what’s to stop the enforcement of territorial claims based on the mindset that possession is nine-tenths of the law?

It’s the law of the jungle, although there is an international agreement that could serve as a mechanism for resolving the dispute.

The United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), to which both the Philippines and China are signatories, seems reasonable enough: coastal states are entitled to a 200-mile exclusive economic zone from their shorelines. Where EEZs overlap, as in the waters between the Philippines and Malaysia, joint patrols and other activities are possible, as agreed upon by the affected states.

As a state policy, the Philippines recognizes and respects the EEZs of China, Vietnam and other neighbors in surrounding waters. If Philippine vessels venture into China’s 200-mile EEZ, they should expect to be accosted by Chinese authorities.

Beijing has brushed aside the idea of EEZs. Perhaps it can be persuaded to see things differently, but a Chinese change of heart can take 500 years.

Since Philippine strategy in this dispute leans heavily on US assistance, it will help if the Americans ratified the UNCLOS. If the globocop itself does not recognize the UN convention, you can’t expect China to be bound by EEZs.

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The Philippines also can’t be strident in its condemnation of Cambodia for blocking a joint communiqué of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations on a Code of Conduct in the South China Sea.

From the start, Cambodia, chair and host of the ASEAN meeting last week in Phnom Penh (not Malaysia as I erroneously wrote earlier, sorry), had opposed a joint ASEAN statement.

Cambodia, like Myanmar, has strong bonds with China.

But so does the Philippines. And Cambodia isn’t the only ASEAN state that has been perceived to bow to China’s wishes. In December 2010, to the deep dismay of human rights advocates, President Aquino’s administration also bowed to Beijing’s request for Manila to boycott the Nobel Peace Prize ceremonies in Oslo, Norway. The award went to detained Chinese dissident Liu Xiaobao.

The Nobel boycott came a few months after the bloody hostage incident in Rizal Park, and amid reports that several Filipino drug mules were lined up for execution in China.

As we all know, the boycott didn’t sway Beijing on the executions, with Chinese officials calling the two cases “apples and oranges.”

Despite bilateral friction, P-Noy also embarked last year on his first state visit as president… to China.

Since pre-Spanish times, the two countries have never been enemies. It shouldn’t happen now.

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EUROPEAN PARTNERS: Eclipsed by the skirmishing over the South China Sea was the landmark partnership and cooperation agreement signed by the Philippines with the European Union (EU) in Phnom Penh.

The agreement, signed by Foreign Secretary Albert del Rosario and EU High Representative Catherine Ashton, is a prerequisite for the signing of a free trade agreement (FTA) between the Philippines and its fifth largest trading partner.

Human rights issues, which are included in the agreement that must be ratified by each of the 27 EU states, have held up FTA negotiations between the EU and other ASEAN members.

The Philippines, which shares EU values on democracy and human rights, still has some way to go in finalizing an FTA with Europe.

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WINNING ATTENTION: The Philippines is getting some good press in Western Europe, which is the second largest source of remittance from overseas Filipino workers. The July 10 issue of the London-based Financial Times carried a positive report on the Philippines.

“Foreign reserves of $76bn as of May exceed the country’s external debt of $63bn. Inflation is below 3.5 per cent and gross domestic product growth, driven by robust electronic exports, is forecast by the government at 5-6 per cent this year,” according to the article with the head “Philippines wins investors’ attention.”

“At a time when many economies are struggling, the Philippines is among only 10 sovereigns in the world with positive outlooks, notes Barclays,” the article reported.

Not everything was positive. The article cautioned that investors “may be glossing over the risk” that P-Noy’s administration “may take time to deliver.”

Among the problem areas mentioned were tax collection and “poor implementation” of reform efforts.

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ONE DAY IN THE LIFE OF A COP: It was a proud day for Jojo Lapuz when he became a member of the Manila Police District (MPD), following in the footsteps of his late father Jesus, whom I knew from my days in the crime beat.

Jojo wore his uniform with pride. And how his mother, who makes the best bopis, must have been proud of her only son.

Joining the police force mellowed Jojo. In his late-30s he finally settled down with his girlfriend. Over a year ago they had a daughter; about seven months ago she gave birth to a son.

The last time I saw Jojo was over a week ago. He visited me at the office, near the headquarters of the Manila traffic police, and told me about a new health food that he said made him lose 20 pounds in less than a month.

Near noon on Friday the 13th radio reporters broke the news: Police Officer 2 Jojo Lapuz had been shot dead in Pasay City by men on motorcycles.

Jojo was a sharpshooter, but he apparently didn’t notice that the men ahead of him had companions also on a motorcycle, who were behind him. They got away.

Seven Manila cops have been killed since the start of the year. When the Manila Police was the premier law enforcement department in the country, any fallen member of the force got swift justice; the slain cop’s colleagues always saw to it. But that was many years ago. Today’s MPD has fallen from the top of the law enforcement heap.

Jojo died clutching his gun, wearing his uniform. His body was so riddled with bullets his left arm was nearly severed from his torso.

In this country, it was not an unusual day in the life of a cop.