Cayetano hits critics, says a lot has been done in PHL-China partnership

Foreign Affairs Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano on Friday evening said there was no doubt the Philippines and China are accomplishing a lot in their bilateral talks.

In a briefing before he left for Korea for an official visit, Cayetano also told critics to stop judging the government by each of its actions, but rather by their results.

"Sabi nga ng ating counterpart na si State Councilor Wang Yi, it’s the golden age of cooperation between China and the Philippines. There’s no doubt that we’re accomplishing a lot," he said.

"That’s why I said nga na if cho-chopseuyin natin, titingnan natin lahat ng aming action. ‘Yung judgment mo, nasa bawat action: Nag-protest ka ba dito? Ina-announce mo ba dito? Nag-file ka ba ng note verbale? Tignan niyo ‘yung resulta," he added.

Cayetano said that the Philippines and China have a Bilateral Consultative Mechanism, and that they have met thrice.

Some of the topics they delved into are the fisheries, maritime security, gas and oil, and the reclamation efforts in contested islands.

Cayetano said that there are challenges when it comes to the issue of construction and [deployment of weapons] on the disputed islands.

"Doon naman po sa building and everything, may developments din pero may challenges. Ano ang challenges pagdating doon sa mga defensive military or weapon systems? Ang challenge natin is not only between the Philippines and China—it’s also between the other claimants, and from navies or possible security threats from outside the region," he said.

Paranoia over West PHL Sea issue

China has recently intensified its reclamation activities in the disputed islands, and recently started militarizing and weaponizing them.

Amid these efforts, Chinese coastguards were reported to have harassed Filipino troops in the West Philippine Sea last May 11.

Cayetano acknowledged the incident, but hit critics for being paranoid over the issue, saying it was only the second incident in two years.

He said that during the administration of former President Benigno Aquino III, there were frequent incidents.

"Totoo, may incident recently, ‘yung report ngayon. Totoo din na may incident sa Sandy Cay.

Two incidents in two years. ‘Di ba, during the Aquino administration, linggo-linggo may incident?

Sa isang buwan, konti na ang dalawa; minsan, lima, anim na incident," he said.

"Nagtataka kami: Bakit hyper-praning ang mga kritiko na sa dalawang taon—o magdadalawang taon sa June 30—dalawang incident, samantalang dati, minsan araw-araw meron, minsan once a week, minsan five times a month?" he added.

His critics, he said, are wrong for saying that the Philippines is losing islands to China, and that there has actually been a big development between the two countries.

"To be fair to China, it’s not one-way. They’ve been also listening to us, and there has been a big development," he said.

"Fisheries, safety of life at seas, environment, tapos ‘yung katulad ng mga oil and gas. Eh, lahat nang iyon, nagma-make tayo ng progress doon. So ano ‘yung sinasabi ng mga kritiko na may nawawala?" he added. —LBG, GMA News