You can’t make this stuff up, can you?
While in office, former President
Rodrigo Duterte sought to have the Philippines become a province of China, and
he undermined the Philippines’ territorial claim over the West Philippine Sea.
Did Duterte serve the
interests of the Philippines during his presidency, or promote China's foreign
policy in Southeast Asia? I believe it’s the second premise, and that’s a shame
because his foreign policy was preeminently pro-CCP and supportive of Xi Jinping's.
He turned his back on the Philippines' traditional ally, the United
States.
Do you recall Duterte's
public pronouncement in 2016, when he said, “It’s time to say goodbye to
Washington.” (Foreign Policy, November 2, 2021)
Duterte exhorting Xi
Jinping to make the Philippines one of China’s provinces is somewhat
reprehensible, if not treasonous.
The West Philippine Sea
and the expanse of the South China Sea aren’t only strategically important to
China’s military expansion in the Indo-Pacific region. These areas are abundant
in mineral resources, including oil, gas, and other forms of natural gas, and
rank among the largest in the world. Additionally, 12 percent of the global
fish catch originates from these coveted waters. Moreover, approximately 21
percent of global trade passes through the West Philippine Sea and the South
China Sea, amounting to approximately $3.4 trillion in annual trade.
As has been debunked, China has no
legal or historical claim to the entire South China Sea, despite its relentless
propaganda campaigns. Its assertion of maritime ownership to the West Philippine
Sea and/or the entire is based solely on the map published by the
Republic of China in 1947, which was titled "Map of South China Sea
Islands," whereby it demarcates the Chinese’s territorial claims with the
eleven dashes, extending from Malaysia in the south up to Taiwan in
the north. Later, it was downgraded to the nine-dash line in 1952, when
the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) assumed control of the government from the
Kuomintang.
The Permanent Court of
Arbitration at The Hague, an international tribunal, ruled in 2016 that the
Philippines is the rightful claimant to the West Philippine Sea, which
encompasses the Spratly Islands. This ruling is significant because it upholds
the principles of international law and maritime rights as set out in UNCLOS.
But China, which didn't participate in the trial, defies this international
court order with its relentless military provocations and incursions into the
Philippine territory.
Even with the Hague's
ruling, Duterte still sided with China and declared in 2021 that he'll 'throw
away' the Philippines' arbitral win versus China, “Sa usapang bugoy, sabihin
ko sa iyo ibigay mo sa'kin, sabihin ko sa'yo putang ina, papel lang 'yan.
Itatapon ko 'yan sa wastebasket.” (Phil Star, May 6, 2021)
China's People's
Liberation Army-Navy (PLAN) military aggressions against the Philippine Coast
Guard and the local fishermen's boats aren't only unlawful but dangerous as
well. It warrants robust condemnation by the United Nations (UN), particularly
given China's repeated mockery of the legal frameworks set out in the UN
Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). Unfortunately, even the members of
the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) are hesitant to express
their official views on the PLAN's bullying or Grey Zone tactics in the West
Philippine Sea, given China's primary trade partner status in the region.
But the Philippines has
found some great allies in the United States, the AUKUS alliance (comprising
the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia), and the First Island
Chain countries (including Japan and Taiwan), which have been vocal in their support
for the Philippines and in their condemnation of China's aggressive actions and
military adventurism in the region.
Might isn't right when a
powerful country like China flexes its military strength to harm and bully a
small but sovereign nation like the Philippines.
It's about time the
government of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. asserted the Philippines'
sovereignty in the West Philippine Sea. This isn't just a task for the Filipino
government leaders but a responsibility that all Filipinos must relentlessly
pursue. Filipinos must unite as a nation behind the Sun and Stars and stand
together in defense of their country's sovereignty.
After the contentious extradition to the Netherlands, Duterte is now
languishing in jail and finding himself in trial before the International
Criminal Court (ICC) for his alleged “crime against humanity” while
serving in public office, notably as the Davao's Mayor and President of the
Philippines; Filipinos are hoping the elusive justice must prevail in the court
of law, even though Duterte's administration has deprived thousands of their
legal rights to seek justice--the same rights being afforded to him by the
ICC.
