By Dean Aubrey Caratiquet
In a Senate Committee on Foreign Relations hearing this Thursday, Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) Secretary Theresa Lazaro reiterated the firm stance of the Philippine government on the West Philippine Sea (WPS), amid reports of increased Chinese presence and aggression in the area.
Secretary Lazaro told lawmakers that the agency has several mechanisms in place to ease tensions, emphasizing diplomacy as the key towards resolving any form of conflict without expense to both nations.
The Foreign Affairs chief said, “These mechanisms may not have an immediate impact, but diplomacy definitely has a very important role.”
Secretary Lazaro, moreover, discussed in her opening remarks that the country remains adherent to the One China Policy, which remains as a binding agreement between the East Asian nation and the Philippines—noting that it mirrors the country’s recognition of the People’s Republic of China (PRC) as the sole legitimate government and Taiwan as a part of PRC.
The DFA chief declared, noting President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s directive on peacefully resolving the disputes in WPS, “The President did not deviate from our principle of non-interference in each other’s internal affairs, a principle of the Joint Communique. With our concern for Filipinos and the impact of conflict, we continue to call for restraint and dialogue.”
Her statement echoes the earlier remarks of Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr., who said that the country’s security forces remain on high alert for any developments in the hotly contested waters of the WPS and warned the public to be wary of disinformation circulating online. (with report from Gab Humilde Villegas/PTV News)
av
