Opposition bets insist arbitral ruling on West PHL Sea ‘enforceable’

Senatorial candidates under the Otso Diretso opposition coalition on Monday insisted that the Philippine government can enforce the 2016 arbitral ruling in favor of the Philippines against China over the territorial dispute in the West Philippine Sea.

They issued the statement in response to presidential spokesperson Salvador Panelo's remark that the ruling is "unenforceable" after former Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert Del Rosario pressed the Duterte administration to "unshelf" it.

In a press conference in Quezon City, Magdalo party-list Representative and senatorial candidate Gary Alejano said it is clear that the Duterte administration set aside the arbitral ruling.

"Isinantabi ng kasalukuyang administrasyon ang ruling [dahil] hindi binabanggit ito sa mga forum, hindi binabanggit ito sa mga bilateral meetings. Yun ang pagsasantabi," he said.

He maintained, however, that a military approach is not the only option to enforce such ruling, as this could be made through consensus building among the international community.

"Maliwanag naman na right from the start, even from the past administration, you can use the favorable ruling in the negotiation.... You can use that also to strengthen your case before the United Nations, pwede yan," he said.

"Ang buong mundo ay tumitingin sa atin dahil tayo ang nag-file ng kaso at meron tayong ruling. They are willing to help us in the negotiation. Kaya nga ang sabi ko kanina, let us focus more on multilateral approaches kasi yung mga nanunuod sa atin ay willing to help us," he added.

Alejano said it is high-time for the Duterte administration to start raising the issue of the West Philippine Sea in various forums so that international community may assist the Philippines in asserting its right to the disputed territories.

For his part, former congressman and senatorial candidate Erin Tañada said Panelo, with his statement, is putting the Philippines in a helpless situation as regards the issue of the West Philippine Sea.

In fact, he said that there are a lot of approaches that the Philippine government can take in order to assert sovereignty in the contested territories.

"Ginagawa lang nilang simple. It's either we go to war or surrender. Hindi ganun ka-simplistic itong sitwasyon kapag pinag-uusapan natin ang international laws," Tañada said.

"Maraming pamamaraan kung paano natin pwedeng igiit ang karapatan natin sa West Philippine Sea. Hindi dapat ang pag-uusap ay surrender na lamang," he added.

Tañada said he is hoping that Panelo would say that the Philippines can assert its rights over the West Philippine Sea.

"I want to hear Secretary Panelo saying that we are not waiving our rights over the West Philippine Sea. Kasi kung ganyan ang pag-iisip niya na unenforceable yan, e parang sinasabi niya na kalimutan na natin lahat," he said. —LDF, GMA News