Teodoro dares China to bring WPS claim to int'l court

Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. on Monday dared China to bring its territorial claims in the West Philippine Sea into arbitration under international laws.

Teodoro's remarks came after China warned the Philippines to “be prepared to bear all potential consequences” of its actions in the WPS, a portion of the South China Sea under the Philippine jurisdiction based on international laws, but Beijing claims the territory historically.

On Saturday, a spokesperson for China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs accused the Philippines of “repeatedly challenging China’s bottom line,” following the most recent confrontation between Manila and Beijing in the Ayungin Shoal.

In the latest incident, two China Coast Guard vessels water cannoned the Philippine resupply vessel, Unaizah May 4, while en route to the grounded warship, BRP Sierra Madre, for a re-provisional mission to the Filipino troops stationed in the shoal.

Teodoro lambasted CCG’s actions which caused injuries to sailors onboard and heavy damage to the wooden resupply vessel, chartered by the Armed Forces of the Philippines.

“Papano natin tsina-challenge ang kanilang bottomline, sila nga ang pumapasok dito sa teritoryo natin e, ano bang bottomline iyon? (How could they say we are challenging their bottom line when they are the ones intruding on our territory, what kind of bottom line is that?),” he said.

He said China is just using its forces to scare Filipinos to pursue their hidden ambitions.

“Kung ano man ‘yun… bakit kayo mananakot tapos sasabihin niyo (Whatever is that… Why would you scare us and then you’ll say) ‘we want peace’,” the defense chief uttered.

Teodoro said China should clarify the intent of its proposal to address WPS disputes with the Philippines through consultation and dialogue.

“Anong ibig sabihin ng consultation and dialogue, meron bang settlement dyan o pagaano lang, pagaareglo ng tactical situations, kung talagang gusto nila, kung talaga siguro hindi sila natatakot na ihayag sa buong mundo ang kanilang claim bakit hindi tayo magarbitrate sa ilalim ng international law para maliwanag sa lahat kung ano ang karapatan ng kahit sino, bakit ayaw nila? (What does this consultation and dialogue means? Is there any settlement or just like that, settling tactical situation. If they really want peaceful solution, if they are not afraid to reveal to world about their claims why don’t we arbitrate under international law to make it clear to all our rights, why don’t they want that?),” he added.

Meanwhile, Teodoro said the Philippine government has measures in place responding to China’s harassment in the WPS, particularly the heightened aggressive actions in the Ayungin Shoal during resupply missions.

“That being said, alam na naman ng boung mundo na iligal ang ginagawa ng Tsina na pagkukupkup ng West Philippine Sea batay sa kanilang hindi kapani-paniwalang historical narrative na walang bansa sa buong mundo naniniwala at maraming bumabatikos (the whole world know about China’s illegal invasion of the West Philippine Sea, based on their incredible historical narratives that no country in the world believes and criticized by many),” he added.

Teodoro said the Philippines will continue to uphold its sovereignty, sovereign rights, and jurisdiction in the West Philippine Sea under international laws and the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).

He noted the Philippines has “many allies and no one is criticizing our actions in the WPS.”