Duterte says ‘time has come’ to invoke ‘arbitral ruling’

FILE: President Rodrigo Roa Duterte delivers his speech during the business forum at the Imperial Hotel in Tokyo, Japan on May 29, 2019. KARL NORMAN ALONZO/PRESIDENTIAL PHOTO

MANILA — President Rodrigo will finally invoke the Hague-based Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) ruling won by the Philippines against China during his next visit to China by the end of August, Malacañang said on Tuesday.

After temporarily shelving the arbitral ruling in 2016 to give way to friendlier relations between Philippines and China, Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo said Duterte felt that it was about time to do so during the middle of his six-year term.

“He (Duterte) said, ‘Remember that I said before that there will be a time when I will invoke the arbitral ruling? This is the time that’s why I’m going there,’” Panelo said in a Palace briefing.

“He precisely said that that is pursuant to what he said the first time we visited China and he said ‘There will be a time that I will raise this issue and talk about it but not now…the time has come,’” he added.

Panelo also bared that Duterte is also interested to bring up the 60-40 sharing arrangement on the proposed joint exploration for oil and gas in the West Philippine Sea in his upcoming ‘one-on-one- meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping.

Earlier, Panelo assured that government will always consider what is beneficial to the Philippines in so far as the terms of reference on the proposed joint oil exploration.

Duterte will also raise the June 9 Recto Bank (Reed Bank) maritime incident where a Chinese vessel allegedly rammed and abandoned a Philippine fishing boat at sea, Panelo said.

Panelo said it will be a one-on-one discussion between Duterte and Xi.

He pointed out that the two leaders both agreed to meet in China.

“I asked the President last night like you were asking me, under whose initiative? And I asked him, sabi ko, ang sagot niya sa’kin, ‘That was our agreement with the President of China,’” Panelo said.

Asked if there would be an agreement to be signed between Philippines and China on the joint oil exploration, Panelo said: “Let’s see. Whatever agreement they enter into, that will be reduced into writing.”

Despite Xi’s earlier warning to Duterte that there would be “trouble” if the Philippines would undertake oil explorations in the disputed sea, Panelo said Duterte is ready to face it.

“Ibig sabihin, ready na siyang humarap (That means, he’s ready to face it),” Panelo said.

On July 12, 2016, the PCA released its verdict on the Philippines’ arbitration case filed against China in 2013.

The arbitral ruling nullified a nine-dash line being used by China for the claims of nearly the entire WPS or South China Sea including part of the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone (EEZ).

The PCA concluded that there was “no legal basis” for China to claim historic rights to resources within the sea areas falling within the ‘nine-dash line.”

It also found that China had violated the Philippines’ sovereign rights in its EEZ by interfering with Philippine fishing and petroleum exploration, constructing artificial islands and failing to prevent Chinese fishermen from fishing in the zone.

China did not participate throughout the proceedings as it refused to recognize the case.