Malacañang on Monday (April 26) said President Rodrigo Duterte should not be blamed for the current situation in the West Philippine Sea, where Chinese vessels have established a presence.
“Ang punto lang po, sa debate kung sino ang namigay ng teritoryo sa mga dayuhan, hindi po si Presidente Duterte iyan, nadatnan na po iyan ni Presidente Duterte,” Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said.
“Nang siya po ay dumating, ginawa na ng Tsina iyong mga artificial islands doon sa ating exclusive economic zone. At nang siya po ay dumating, narito na po itong batas na ito na talagang sinabi ng Korte Suprema ay hindi labag sa ating Saligang Batas,” Roque added.
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The official explained in his briefing that the issue has long stemmed from many factors, including various laws concerning the national territory such as the Archipelagic Baselines Law.
“Pero dito po sa Philippine Archipelagic Laws, nawala po iyong ating territorial sea na ang lawak ay 263,000 nautical miles. Sinunod po natin iyong 12 nautical miles na territorial seas. So lumiit po ang ating territorial sea, naging 34,300 nautical miles na lamang,” Roque said.
Roque added that there were petitions against the law, but these were dismissed by the Supreme Court, which clarified that the country did not give away its territory but only followed the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea in drawing straight baselines and in using straight base points.
“Ang sabi ng hukuman noong dinismiss nila ang kaso, in any case, kung lumiit ang ating territorial sea at ang ating internal waters, lumawak naman ang ating karagatan kasi mayroon tayong 200 miles na exclusive economic zone,” Roque said.
“Hindi naman po iyong archipelagic baselines ang nagbigay sa atin ng 200 nautical miles exclusive economic zone, isang PD [presidential decree] po ni [former president Ferdinand] Marcos ibinigay na sa atin iyang 200 nautical miles na exclusive economic zone,” he added.
In line with this, the spokesperson said President Duterte chose to retain the bilateral relationship with China and to set aside matters that cannot yet be resolved. – Report from Mela Lesmoras/AG-jlo
