By Priam Nepomuceno/PNA
MANILA — The territorial dispute in the South China Sea or West Philippine Sea remains a challenge, Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said Tuesday.
He made this statement during the press briefing, shortly after the New Year’s Call held at the AFP Commissioned Officers’ Club in Camp Aguinaldo, Quezon City.
“South China Sea pa rin (It’s still South China Sea), although all the claimants there are (on) status quo. Walang galawan, kung saan ka wag ka nang gumalaw (There are no movements for now. Don’t move and stay where you are). Allow the fishermen of all countries to fish in the area so that’s it,” Lorenzana said when asked on what challenge the country is still facing this year.
The defense chief, meanwhile, expressed hope that the “Code of Conduct in the South China Sea” will be finished soon.
This was after Beijing said it would take them three years to make one.
“We have have been doing it since 2012, so ang tagal tagal na masyado (It’s been so long). So hopefully we can have a workable or acceptable Code of Conduct (in the South China Sea) in three years time,” Lorenzana stressed.
