By Azer Parrocha/PNA
MANILA — Malacañang on Tuesday said an independent body should conduct a study to confirm whether there is indeed “destruction of the environment” due to China’s buildup in the West Philippine Sea or South China Sea.
Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo made this remark despite the 2016 ruling of the Hague-based Permanent Court Arbitration (PCA) ruling which detailed environmental damage caused by Chinese land-reclamation activities.
“I think mas maganda kung (it’s better if an) independent body ang tumingin doon (conducts a study there),” Panelo said in a Palace briefing.
“You have to have a scientific finding for that,” he added.
His statement came a day after Chinese Ambassador Zhao Jianhua described the case filed by two former Philippine government officials against Chinese President Xi Jinping before the International Criminal Court (ICC) as a “fabrication”.
Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert Del Rosario and former Ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales filed a complaint before the ICC on March 13 this year insisting Chinese officials be held accountable for crimes against humanity and damage to environment over China’s activities in the disputed waters.
President Rodrigo R. Duterte has clarified that his administration has no participation in the said activity.
The PCA ruling reads: “The tribunal found that China’s recent large-scale land reclamations and construction of artificial islands at seven features in the Spratlys Island has caused severe harm to the coral reef environment and that China has violated its obligation of the convention to preserve and protect.”
“The tribunal also found that Chinese fishermen have engaged in the harvesting of endangered sea turtles, coral and giant clamps on a substantial scale,” it added.
According to Panelo, the government has the option to implement its arbitration win against China before the United Nations (UN) General Assembly.
Moreover, he said the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) has already filed a diplomatic protest against China.
Panelo, meanwhile, blamed Del Rosario and the previous administration for their inaction when China started reclamation activity in the South China Sea.
“Lahat ng problema ngayon kaya nandito because of you — pinaalala ninyo eh (All the problems we have now are because of you — you made it worse),” Panelo said, addressing Del Rosario.
