Gatchalian wants to get clearer picture of Duterte administration's foreign policy
Published Feb 5, 2018 07:11 pm
By Hannah Torregoza
Senator Sherwin Gatchalian today said he will resume the Senate economic affairs committee’s inquiry into the investments China has pledged to the Philippine government in order to get a clearer picture of what direction the Duterte administration’s foreign policy is going.
Gatchalian made the commitment following reports that the government of China is in the verge of transforming several artificial islands in the West Philippine Sea as its military bases.
Sen. Sherwin T. Gatchalian (Senate of the Philippines / MANILA BULLETIN)
Sen. Paolo “Bam” Aquino IV cried foul over the latest development saying the near completion of China’s militarization in the disputed territory is already alarming.
“Has the Philippines been sold? It’s worrisome to see that China’s military bases are almost complete in the West Philippine Sea,” Aquino said.
“While their war ships are in our seas, we continue to give in to their whims and, all the while, we are kept in the dark as to our government’s dealings with China,” the senator pointed out.
Aquino earlier filed a resolution asking the Senate committee on foreign relations, chaired by Sen. Loren Legarda, to probe the government’s foreign policy direction, particularly with China.
The senator said it is high time the administration publicly disclose its transactions with China.
Gatchalian said he will again hold another hearing to know the status of the grants and loans the Duterte government acquired from China, noting that the loans are still in limbo.
“We talked about this issue a year ago, although none of these China loans have been consummated. There were intentions of lending to the Philippines, there were intentions of granting loans to the Philippines, but until now it has not been effected,” Gatchalian said.
“So in that light, we would continue to inquire about these China loans and also the investment and the grants that were promised to our country,” he added.
“We want to understand that because these promises form part of our relationship with China, and form part of our foreign policy with China,” he stressed.
He said the Senate panel aims to check how the Duterte government’s avowed pivot to China and Russia, is factoring in with respect to the country’s position on the South China Sea vis-à-vis the loans and grants promised to the government.
“So how does this entire thing, all these components, come into play with our foreign policy? We have to look at it independently,” he said.
“But again my take is, we should be friends with all and whoever wants to help us—we should welcome that. But again we have to look into the entire picture to determine how we can move forward,” Gatchalian said.
Sen. Panfilo “Ping” Lacson, meanwhile, said he believes there is not much the government can do about the issue for now, saying those who are opposed to the current foreign policy have no choice but to wait for the next administration to come into power.
“What can we do now? Honestly, none. We just have to wait for the next administration who won’t be too cozy with China. We have no choice, because for now, our foreign policy is being implemented by the Executive Department,” Lacson said in a separate interview.
Lacson said the primary problem why the Philippines seems to be losing out is due to the administration’s refusal to lobby for international pressure.
“I’m sure there are many countries, like the United States, who are willing to help. But I think even without our request, these superpowers are duty-bound to balance the powers in that area in the West Philippine Sea,” Lacson pointed out.
“But that’s a limitation. Because I think the US is also worried that should they intervene, they might experience getting harsh words from our President. That’s why they will hold back from doing that,” he said.
Nevertheless, Lacson said he believes the government when it said it is not giving up the territory in favor of China.
“Maybe they are just using the practical side of the issue: we cannot do anything even if we continue our rants,” he pointed out.
“In the meantime, we are getting support, getting grants, getting aid from China. I’m not saying it’s the right thing to do, dahil ang primary pa rin sa atin, yung sovereignty natin,” Lacson stressed.
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“Maybe they are just using the practical side of the issue: we cannot do anything even if we continue our rants,” he pointed out.
“In the meantime, we are getting support, getting grants, getting aid from China. I’m not saying it’s the right thing to do, dahil ang primary pa rin sa atin, yung sovereignty natin,” Lacson stressed.
Sen. Sherwin T. Gatchalian (Senate of the Philippines / MANILA BULLETIN)
Sen. Paolo “Bam” Aquino IV cried foul over the latest development saying the near completion of China’s militarization in the disputed territory is already alarming.
“Has the Philippines been sold? It’s worrisome to see that China’s military bases are almost complete in the West Philippine Sea,” Aquino said.
“While their war ships are in our seas, we continue to give in to their whims and, all the while, we are kept in the dark as to our government’s dealings with China,” the senator pointed out.
Aquino earlier filed a resolution asking the Senate committee on foreign relations, chaired by Sen. Loren Legarda, to probe the government’s foreign policy direction, particularly with China.
The senator said it is high time the administration publicly disclose its transactions with China.
Gatchalian said he will again hold another hearing to know the status of the grants and loans the Duterte government acquired from China, noting that the loans are still in limbo.
“We talked about this issue a year ago, although none of these China loans have been consummated. There were intentions of lending to the Philippines, there were intentions of granting loans to the Philippines, but until now it has not been effected,” Gatchalian said.
“So in that light, we would continue to inquire about these China loans and also the investment and the grants that were promised to our country,” he added.
“We want to understand that because these promises form part of our relationship with China, and form part of our foreign policy with China,” he stressed.
He said the Senate panel aims to check how the Duterte government’s avowed pivot to China and Russia, is factoring in with respect to the country’s position on the South China Sea vis-à-vis the loans and grants promised to the government.
“So how does this entire thing, all these components, come into play with our foreign policy? We have to look at it independently,” he said.
“But again my take is, we should be friends with all and whoever wants to help us—we should welcome that. But again we have to look into the entire picture to determine how we can move forward,” Gatchalian said.
Sen. Panfilo “Ping” Lacson, meanwhile, said he believes there is not much the government can do about the issue for now, saying those who are opposed to the current foreign policy have no choice but to wait for the next administration to come into power.
“What can we do now? Honestly, none. We just have to wait for the next administration who won’t be too cozy with China. We have no choice, because for now, our foreign policy is being implemented by the Executive Department,” Lacson said in a separate interview.
Lacson said the primary problem why the Philippines seems to be losing out is due to the administration’s refusal to lobby for international pressure.
“I’m sure there are many countries, like the United States, who are willing to help. But I think even without our request, these superpowers are duty-bound to balance the powers in that area in the West Philippine Sea,” Lacson pointed out.
“But that’s a limitation. Because I think the US is also worried that should they intervene, they might experience getting harsh words from our President. That’s why they will hold back from doing that,” he said.
Nevertheless, Lacson said he believes the government when it said it is not giving up the territory in favor of China.
“Maybe they are just using the practical side of the issue: we cannot do anything even if we continue our rants,” he pointed out.
“In the meantime, we are getting support, getting grants, getting aid from China. I’m not saying it’s the right thing to do, dahil ang primary pa rin sa atin, yung sovereignty natin,” Lacson stressed.
t;font-family:"Georgia","serif"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";color:#222222'>
“Maybe they are just using the practical side of the issue: we cannot do anything even if we continue our rants,” he pointed out.
“In the meantime, we are getting support, getting grants, getting aid from China. I’m not saying it’s the right thing to do, dahil ang primary pa rin sa atin, yung sovereignty natin,” Lacson stressed.