Phl to defend WPS ‘whatever it takes’

SINGAPORE — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Friday said the Philippines will do “whatever it takes” to protect its sovereign home as the country will not allow anyone to remove the West Philippine Sea from the nation.

In his keynote speech during the 2024 IISS Shangri-la Dialogue here on Friday, Marcos said that the Philippines has defined its territory and maritime time zones as a law-abiding member of the international community.

Marcos said that the country’s claims are derived from international law, and “not from imagination” as the Philippines is in the frontlines of efforts to assert the integrity of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) as the Constitution of the Oceans.

“Unlike others, we have submitted our assertions to rigorous legal scrutiny by the world’s leading jurists,” Marcos said in the Asia’s premier defense forum in a hit against China who claimed the majority of the South China Sea through its updated 10-dash line.

“The life-giving waters of the West Philippine Sea flow in the blood of every Filipino. We will never allow anyone to detach it from the totality of the maritime domain that renders our nation whole,” Marcos added.

The Chief Executive said that the 1982 UNCLOS and the binding 2016 Arbitral Award are on the side of the Philippines, which affirms “what is ours by legal right.”

Marcos also mentioned that the country finds strength in defending the country “to the last square inch (and) to the last square millimeter)” through the solid legal footing and “clear moral ascendancy.”

“As President, I have sworn to this solemn commitment from the very first day that I took office. I do not intend to yield. Filipinos do not yield,” Marcos said.

The Philippines, Vietnam, Brunei and Malaysia each assert claims to different portions of the South China Sea, while China claims nearly the entire area. Taiwan also claims a significant part of the South China Sea, but unlike Beijing, Taipei has refrained from using aggressive tactics to support its claims.

Sovereign rights

But unlike most Southeast Asian countries with claims in the South China Sea, Manila has been particularly vocal and assertive in defending its sovereign rights and territorial claims.

In the same keynote speech, Marcos also called for respect for the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Centrality in maintaining regional peace and stability.

“Any state that professes a stake in the continued peace and stability of this region must respect ASEAN Centrality not only with words but also with action. All partnerships and arrangements must never displace or dilute, but rather uphold and complement ASEAN’s central role,” Marcos said.

Detention threat

Both the Philippines and the United States expressed their concern over China’s plan to detain foreigners “trespassing” in the South China Sea, Armed Forces of the Philippines Chief Romeo Brawner said on Friday.

On the sidelines of the 2024 IISS Shangri-la Dialogue, Brawner told reporters the issue was raised during President Marcos Jr.’s bilateral meeting with US Indo-Pacific Command chief Admiral Samuel Paparo.

When asked about the discussions on the new Chinese regulation set to take effect on 15 June, Brawner said he could not yet disclose specific details.

The regulation involves authorizing the China Coast Guard to apprehend foreigners perceived to be “illegally crossing” into what China defines as its borders and holding them for up to 60 days without a trial.

While unable to delve into specifics, Brawner acknowledged that other countries also raised the issue, indicating a growing concern among like-minded nations.

“We did not have to mention that, it was mentioned by the other countries,” Brawner said. He did not disclose which nations voiced their concerns.

The conversation with the United States, however, yielded more tangible outcomes. Brawner described the dialogue with the US as positive, with both countries reaffirming their commitment to their alliance and expressing confidence in strengthening it.