President Marcos will discuss the recent developments in the contested West Philippine Sea with the Japan and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) this week, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said on Monday, Dec. 11.
 

DFA Assistant Secretary Daniel Espiritu speaks to the media about the upcoming ASEAN-Japan Commemorative Summit in Tokyo, Japan  during a Palace briefing on Monday, Dec. 11, 2023. (RTVM screenshot)

Though he could not confirm it, DFA Assistant Secretary Daniel Espiritu of the DFA-Office of ASEAN Affairs, hinted a possibility that the West Philippine Sea territorial disputes might be a part of the outcome statement of the meeting.

“We will see, yeah probably in general, because definitely, they will be talking about international developments and regional developments, and among them are developments in the South China Sea and East South China Sea,” he said.

The official added that these issues “will be discussed within the ASEAN context,” but stressed that there are no details yet on the possible discussions.

“It will depend on the development during the negotiations of the statements and outcome statement. And also it will depend on the dynamics of the meeting. That one we can’t predict.”

His remarks came a day after the latest incidents near Bajo de Masinloc (Scarborough Shoal) off Zambales province and in the vicinity of the Ayungin Shoal when China Coast Guard (CCG) vessels fired water cannon at Filipino ships.

The international community, led by the United States, Japan, the European Union, the United Kingdom, and France, condemned the recent incident. However, none of the ASEAN member-states denounced China’s aggression in the waters also claimed in part by some of its members.

Espiritu believes the Japan-ASEAN meeting this week is the perfect opportunity to discuss regional tensions, given that “Japan has always been supportive of the Philippines in these issues.”

“And even in its interventions in ASEAN meetings, it has also been strongly supportive of the Philippines on the West Philippine Sea issue, and even the arbitral award,” he said, referring to the 2016 arbitral tribunal award that invalidated the basis of China’s nine-dash line claim.

Last weekend’s water cannon incidents were the third and fourth time that CCG vessels used water cannon to stop Philippine civilian ships in the disputed waters. The first two encounters involved Philippine Coast Guard’s (PCG) resupply mission to BRP Sierra Madre at Ayungin Shoal on Aug. 5 and Nov. 10 of this year.

Meanwhile, the DFA official also said that the bombing in the Mindanao State University (MSU) gymnasium during a Catholic mass last Dec. 3 will also be up for discussions.

“Transnational crime and counter terrorism have always been part of ASEAN agenda. Not only in Japan, but also with almost all the major partners,” he added.

This, he stressed, has been “a long-standing affair” since the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks in New York City.

“The mechanism and cooperation have already been operation since then. So, as for the intensification of that, probably yes,” Espiritu added.

He also expects that the incident, which killed four people and injured more than 40 others, will be part of the meeting’s joint vision statement, but the official said this would be better discussed by the ASEAN sectoral bodies on counter-terrorism.