Zubiri prods Marcos to call out China's aggressive acts in WPS
President Ferdinand 'Bongbong' Marcos Jr. (Noel Pabalate/ MANILA BULLETIN)
Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri on Saturday, July 29, said he is drafting a resolution giving President Ferdinand ‘’Bongbong’’ Marcos Jr. options on how to resolve China's continued refusal to honor the 2016 ruling of the United Nations (UN)-backed Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA). China, an economic and military power, refuses to honor the PCA ruling that rejected its historical claim over most parts of the South China Sea. The draft resolution would amend a resolution of Senator Risa Hontiveros asking the Philippine government to file a resolution before the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) to call out China’s aggression in the South China Sea, according to Zubiri. President Marcos, however, pointed out that foreign policy is up to the executive branch. Zubiri said the draft resolution would call out China’s incursions in the Philippines' Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), where China’s big coast guard and militia vessels continue to harass smaller Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) vessels and Filipino fishermen. He said the draft resolution would contain the dates of China’s aggressions. One option for Malacañang, according to Zubiri, is ‘’to continue the diplomatic protest, then discontinue bilateral discussions with China". Another option is to file an appeal to the UNGA to act on the Philippine resolution, he added. ‘’It's a complaint to the General Assembly na after the 2016 bilateral ruling hindi po sila sumusunod dito sa mga desisyon ng United Nations' Court (China is not honoring the UN ruling),’’ he explained. The resolution provides that the Philippine government continue delivering modern equipment to the Philippine Navy and PCG. On Monday, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) and the heads of the West Philippine Sea (WPS) Task Force, the National Intelligence Coordinating Agency (NICA) and the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) will brief senators in closed doors and retired Philippine Army General Andres Centino, presidential adviser on the West Philippine Sea will meet with senators in closed doors. ‘’But after that meeting we are going to get consensus from the whole Senate and I am confident na mapipasa naming ito ng Lunes, pinakahuli na po ang Martes (the resolution will be passed on Monday, or Tuesday at the latest), he added.