Defending our Territory: Actions of PH Presidents in WPS

The Philippines on Friday marked the 8th anniversary of its landmark victory against China at the international arbitration tribunal at the Hague. The ruling favored Manila and rejected China's claim over the South China Sea which it said had "no legal basis." 

Despite this, China remains aggressive in imposing its claim in the region. Some of the recent incidents even resulted in injuries on the Philippine side. 

Brief History

The Hague ruling came out in 2016 during the time of former President Rodrigo Duterte, who at the time decided not to make a big deal out of it as he wanted to have a more friendly relationship with Beijing.

“I just simply love Xi Jinping. He understood, he understands my problem and he is willing to help... So, I would say, I need China. More than anybody else at this time of our national life," then President Duterte said in 2018.

Fast forward to 2024, and under a new leadership, President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr had this to say about defending the Philippine territory:

“The life-giving waters of the West Philippine Sea flow in the blood of every Filipino. We cannot allow anyone to detach it from the totality of the maritime domain that renders our nation whole,” Marcos said back in May.

Given the contrast in these approaches, GMA News Online looks back at how other Philippine Presidents managed Manila’s relationship with Beijing amid the maritime dispute in the second part of Defending our Territory series.

Ferdinand Marcos Sr. (1965-1986)

The Philippines and China’s diplomatic relations was established in 1975, during the time of the father of the country's current President. 

On June of that year, Ferdinand Marcos Sr. and Premier Zhou Enlai signed a joint communique wherein the two countries “agree to settle all disputes by peaceful means .… without resorting to the use or threat of force.” 

Under the Marcos patriarch’s term, the two countries entered into several bilateral agreements.

In June 1978, Marcos issued Presidential Decree No. 1596 that declared the Kalayaan Group of Islands, which includes the Pag-asa Island, as part of the Philippine territory. 

He then signed Executive Order No. 738 in October 1981 establishing the Cabinet Committee on the Law of the Sea that is “responsible for the implementation of the Treaty on the Law on the Sea.” 

Corazon Aquino (1986-1992)

During her state visit to Beijing in April 1988, Corazon Aquino acknowledged the sovereignty of the two countries. 

“Our mutual respect for each other’s sovereignty is further strengthened by a common commitment to the rule of reason and law in the settlement of international disputes. Certainly, with regard to possible conflicting claims on the part of our two countries over certain islands and reefs in the South China Sea, that respect and lawful regard have been consistently maintained,” said Aquino. 

In June of the same year, Aquino signed Executive Order No. 328 which reconstitutes the Cabinet Committee on the Law of the Seas “with representation from the government agencies to undertake studies concerning the implementation of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea and the harmonization of domestic laws and regulations with the Convention, in preparation for its entry into force.” 

Under the EO, among the functions of the Law of the Sea Secretariat is to “prepare the groundwork for any negotiation with other countries on matters concerning overlapping of boundaries, fisheries, energy, mineral and other agreements relating to the conservation, protection and exploitation, development and management of the 200-mile EEZ.” 

Fidel Ramos (1992-1998)

It was during Fidel Ramos’ administration when Chinese presence was spotted in the Mischief Reef or the Panganiban Reef at the Spratly Islands in 1995, which is some 130 nautical miles from Palawan and within the country’s exclusive economic zone. 

According to reports, China admitted building structures atop the reef but pointed out that they were shelters for Chinese fishermen. But this provoked the Ramos administration to file a diplomatic protest against Beijing. 

Ramos then ordered to strengthen Philippines forces in the area close to the reef. 

Things later stabilized between Manila and Beijing when the two countries issued a joint statement in which both sides agreed to settle disputes “in a peaceful and friendly manner.”

Joseph Estrada (1998-2001)

Following the presence of Chinese vessels in the contested waters, Joseph Estrada intentionally grounded in 1999  the rusting BRP Sierra Madre at the Panatag Shoal to assert the country’s sovereignty over its territorial claims in the West Philippine Sea. 

The BRP Sierra Madre was a World War II-era ship by the Philippine Navy that ran aground a reef in Ayungin Shoal. It later became a military outpost, which the Philippine government keeps afloat through resupply missions.

But two decades later, China claimed that the Philippines then promised to remove the dilapidated ship. Columnist Rigoberto Tiglao later reiterated the claim that the former president made such a vow to Beijing. 

In his father’s defense, Senator Jinggoy Estrada said that there was no agreement then to withdraw the BRP Sierra Madre, citing former Defense Secretary Orly Mercado.

Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo (2001-2010)

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s administration sought a diplomatic approach in the Philippines-China relations, which goes beyond addressing the South China Sea conflict. 

In 2005,  the Philippine National Oil Company Exploration Corporation and the China National Offshore Oil Corporation entered into a joint oil exploration in the 142,886 square kilometers of the South China Sea. Vietnam later joined in the joint maritime seismic undertaking. 

Fifteen years after the JMSU expired in 2008, the Supreme Court affirmed the unconstitutionality of the deal in 2023 after it allowed foreign corporations to undertake a large-scale exploration of petroleum resources, violating a provision under the 1987 Constitution. 

But China said that it is still interested in pursuing future joint oil explorations with the Philippines. 

Benigno Aquino III (2010-2016)

President Benigno Aquino III’s administration took a more aggressive stance in dealing with Manila’s maritime dispute with Beijing. 

Following a two-month standoff between the Philippine Navy and Chinese vessels at the Scarborough Shoal in 2012, the Philippine government filed an arbitration case against China before the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague in 2013.

Shortly before Aquino left his post in July 2016, the court upheld the Philippines' exclusive economic zone over China's historical claims in the disputed South China Sea  under UNCLOS. But China has never recognized the decision.

Rodrigo Duterte (2016-2022)

President Rodrigo Duterte committed to shifting the country's foreign policy away from the United States and sought warmer ties with China. 

In his first state visit to China in 2016, Duterte and Chinese President Xi Jinping then agreed to reopen negotiations in the South China Sea. 

But in 2019, Duterte threatened to send Filipino troops in a “suicide mission” if China seizes the Philippine-occupied Pag-asa Island even as he maintained his stand not to wage war with Beijing to defend the country's interests in the South China Sea.

Despite the international court’s recognition of the country’s territorial claims in the South China Sea, Duterte described the arbitral victory as "just a piece of paper" that can be thrown away. 

But he recently emphasized that he conceded nothing to China during his administration. This amid reports of a supposed "gentleman's agreement" between him and China. 

"I assure you that if it was a gentleman's agreement, it would always have been an agreement that will keep the peace in the South China Sea," Duterte said back in May. 

Ferdinand Marcos Jr. (2022-Present)

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has entered into various defense agreements with the United States and Japan. 

Among these were the four additional sites under the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement with the US, the upcoming reciprocal access deal with Japan, and the trilateral agreement among the three countries. 

In May, Marcos also said that he was "horrified" by the supposed gentleman's agreement entered into by Duterte with the Chinese government regarding the BRP Sierra Madre.

"Ang sinasabi sa agreement na 'yan ay kinakailangan tayong magpermiso sa ibang bansa para gumalaw sa ating sariling teritoryo. Mahirap siguro sundan 'yang ganyang klaseng agreement," Marcos said in an interview.

(What that agreement is saying is that we need to seek permission from another country to move in our own territory. That kind of agreement is hard to honor.)

However, the Chief Executive has ordered the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) to deescalate tensions with China after a Filipino Navy sailor lost his thumb and several others were injured after Chinese Coast Guard  personnel repeatedly rammed Philippine rubber boats

“Sabi nya mahirap talaga yung ginagawa ninyo dahil habang dinedepensahan niyo yung ating bansa you are also practicing restraint, pinipigilan nila yung sarili nila ano kahit na gustong gusto na nilang lumaban ng todo ay hindi nila kayang gawin,” said AFP chief of staff General Romeo Brawner Jr. earlier this month. 

(He said that what you are doing is difficult because while you are defending our country, you are also practicing restraint, they are restraining themselves, and even if they want to fight all the way, they cannot do it.)

The AFP said is also demanding P60 million in damages from China following the destruction of the Philippine equipment and vessels during June 17 incident.

—VAL, GMA Integrated News