Senator wants Marcos to convene NSC with ex-presidents after latest Ayungin incident

President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. must convene the National Security Council (NSC) with the former presidents to show that the Philippines is "in a heightened level" following the June 17 incident in Ayungin Shoal involving Filipino troops and Chinese Coast Guard personnel that left seven Filipinos injured.

This was suggested by Senator Francis Tolentino, based on Executive Order 115 that was issued in 1986, which mandates the NSC to "evaluate and analyze all informations, events, and incidents in terms of the risks they pose or implications upon and/or threats to the overall security and stability of the nation, for the purpose of recommending to the President appropriate responses thereto and/or action thereon."

In a phone interview, Tolentino said, "I think, it's about time that the President consider convening the National Security Council considering that Executive Order 115, circa 1986, can now be invoked. Kailangan na ito kasi involved na 'yung peace and security ng ating bansa (This is imperative because it now involves our country's peace and security) and to have the National Security Council be convened would show that we are really in a heightened level, not just of awareness but of a possible national response."

Aside from the usual members of the NSC, Tolentino said the meeting should also involve former presidents and respected leaders.

"Even former presidents and respected leaders so kailangan na'ng mag-meeting ito para maglabas ng isang puwedeng gawing pagtugon sa mga nangyayari lalong lalo na yung nangyari nu'ng June 17," he said.

(Even former presidents and respected leaders should attend the meeting so we can come up with action steps, especially with what happened on June 17.)

"Lahat kasi 'yan (former presidents) may karanasan eh. Isasantabi natin ang mga political considerations siguro. Ang mananaig dito, ang mangingibabaw dito 'yung dapat maging appropriate response at 'yung pangangailangan ng bansa," he explained.

(All of the former presidents have experience. Let us put aside political considerations. What should prevail is to determine the appropriate response and the needs of our country.)

Among the topics that the NSC should consider is the definition of the word "armed attack" under the Philippines and United States' Mutual Defense Treaty (MDT).

"Ito na ba 'yung uri ng armed attack na magti-trigger ng Mutual Defense Treaty? So we have to gather all the information first kung ito na 'yun," he said.

(Is this the kind of armed attack that would trigger the Mutual Defense Treaty? So we have to gather all the information first before we can say that this is it.)

"'Yung National Security Council na-advise ang Presidente, the President in his own determination together with the secretary of Foreign Affairs, chief of staff [of the] Armed Forces of the Philippines, secretary of National Defense can ask the United States na ito na 'yung armed attack and the other side will have to study that also kung ito na ba yung magti-trigger. So there's a process for this," he explained.

(The National Security Council advises the President. The President, in his own determination, together with the secretary of Foreign Affairs, chief of staff [of the] Armed Forces of the Philippines, secretary of National Defense can ask the United States that this is an armed attack. The other side will have to study that also if this would trigger the Mutual Defense Treaty. So there's a process for this.)

Under Executive Order 115 which reorganized the NSC, the council shall be composed of the President, the vice president and minister of Foreign Affairs, the executive secretary, the secretaries of National Defense, Justice, Labor and Employment, Interior and Local Government, the National Security director, the chief of staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, and "such other government officials and private citizens as the President may designate from time to time."

Earlier in the day, Senate President Francis "Chiz" Escudero said the Senate would seek a "full briefing" from the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) regarding the latest incident in Ayungin Shoal.

"The escalation of tensions in the West Philippine Sea is alarming, and the Senate will be seeking a full briefing from the DFA on the latest incident, as well as the efforts being undertaken to address this," the Senate president said.

Pending the briefing, Escudero reiterated his call for dialogues between Philippine and Chinese officials to prevent the further escalation of tension in the region.

He also said the DFA "should go beyond the filing of diplomatic protests each time an incident occurs, and must explore every means to conduct a meaningful dialogue with their counterparts from Beijing with the end in view of avoiding further escalation, without giving up any of our rights and privileges in our claimed territory vis-a-vis theirs."

The AFP last Tuesday confirmed that a Philippine Navy servicemember suffered "severe injury" following a collision between a Chinese ship and a Philippine vessel performing rotation and resupply mission (RORE) in Ayungin Shoal in the WPS. It was later revealed that the service member lost a thumb during the incident.

The Philippines, through the DFA, and the Pentagon have denounced the incident.

The Ayungin Shoal, which China calls Ren'ai Reef, is located 105 nautical miles west of Palawan and is within the country’s 200-mile exclusive economic zone (EEZ).

China claims almost the entire South China Sea, a conduit for more than $3 trillion of annual ship-borne commerce, including parts claimed by the Philippines, Vietnam, Indonesia, Malaysia and Brunei.

The Philippine government sued China before the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) in The Hague in 2013. The Court ruled in favor of the Philippines in July 2016 when it junked China's nine-dash claim over the South China Sea.

In the same ruling, the PCA said the Ayungin Shoal, which is also called Second Thomas Shoal, the Spratly Islands, Panganiban or Mischief Reef, and Recto or Reed Bank, are within the Philippine EEZ. The Scarborough Shoal, meanwhile, was deemed as a common fishing ground.

Beijing, however, does not recognize the ruling. — VDV, GMA Integrated News