Former Senator Rodolfo Biazon, a retired chief of staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), likened Russia’s invasion of Ukraine to the territorial disputes between the Philippines and China over the resource-rich West Philippine Sea (WPS).

The retired general said on Thursday, March 10, that Russia’s claim over Ukraine is similar to the China and Taiwan situation, where countries were forced to adopt a One China Policy because of centuries-old political and territorial claims.

“And remember hindi lang nila inaano iyong ating (they are not just claiming our) West Philippine Sea. Nandidiyan na sila (They are already there),” he said during opposition coalition 1Sambayan’s virtual forum.

Calling the disputes in the West Philippine Sea the biggest “threat” to national Philippine sovereignty, Biazon added that the next administration needs to strengthen adherence to international laws and international treaties, both economic and security.

He warned that other countries may think that the Philippines has given up on the resource-rich waters because the current administration failed to maximize the country’s victory at the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) in The Hague, to which many countries have expressed support.

“Hindi natin pinatindi ang ating (We did not intensify our) adherence to that ruling at palagay ko iyan ay tinitingnan ng ating maaaring kaalyado (I think that’s what our allies are looking at),” the former senator said.

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He shared that during a meeting with Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana four months ago, he confirmed if the Philippines is buying a submarine from Russia and armaments from China.

“Kaya ang katanungan siguro nila, ano ba itong Philippines? Bibili ng submarine dito sa kalaban. Bibili ng armamento sa kalaban. Iyan ang kailangan maituwid ng husto (That’s why their question maybe is, what’s with the Philippines? Buying submarine from the enemy. Buying armament from the enemy. That needs to be straightened out),” Biazon added.

Biazon said such actions are confusing to allies and may push them away because the Philippines is befriending “enemies.”

Former Senator Antonio Trillanes IV, a former Navy officer running again for a Senate seat under Vice President Leni Robredo, stressed the importance for the next administration to realign the country with traditional, modern, and structural allies.

“Kailangan natin paigtingin nyan at tumindig kung ano ang boundary kung hanggang saan tayo pwedeng itulak nung mga tatangka (We need to fortify that and stand on what boundary, until where can we be pushed if someone will make an attempt),” he said.

Trillanes warned against an “isolationist” foreign policy as the world experiences a geopolitical shift born out of the polarization of ideologies.

“At dahil diyan ay talagang kailangan nating sumapi. So, nagiging bipolar muli ang ating mundo at kailangan natin sumapi sa isang koalisyon na kaparehas po nating mga democratic countries. Otherwise, hindi tayo magsusurvive (And because of that, we really need to join. So, the world is becoming bipolar again and we need to join a coalition the same with us democratic countries. Otherwise, we will not survive),” he added.

The former senator proposed reinstating the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) and implementing the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA) with the United States.

He also stressed the importance of the AFP modernization law to capacitate the country’s armed forces.