PH can visit disputed areas in West PH Sea anytime but China can’t be ignored–Lorenzana
Credit to Author: The Manila Times| Date: Wed, 26 Dec 2018 12:13:19 +0000
THE Philippines can visit all of its occupied islands in the South China Sea (West Philippine Sea) anytime although China’s claim cannot be ignored, Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana has said.
“I wish I could make it go away, but they are not even. If we are going to show them our arbitral ruling document, that they have no business there, they will not even honor it, so, that’s it,” Lorenzana said in an interview over ABS-CBN News Channel aired on Monday.
Lorenzana said, however, that despite the ongoing dispute, China has not prevented Filipino troops from moving around.
“We can go there to our islands scattered there in the Spratlys (Kalayaan Island Group), outside our EEZ (exclusive economic zone),” Lorenzana said.
The Philippines has troops stationed in nine islands in the Spratly archipelago including Pag-asa (Thitu) Island, Kota (Loaita) Island, Parola (Northeast Cay) Island, Likas (West York) Island, Patag (Flat) Island, Panata (Lankiam Cay) Island, Lawak (Nanshan) Island, Rizal (Commodore) Reef and Ayungin (Second Thomas) Shoal.
Manila is also a claimant of the so-called Chinese militarized areas in the Mischief (Panganiban) Reef, Subi (Zamora) Reef and Fiery Cross (Kagitingan) Reef.
The United Nations-backed Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) based in The Hague has ruled that the Philippines has sovereignty over the disputed waters, dismissing the “nine dash line” claim of China.
President Rodrigo Duterte, however, has expressed a softer position towards China, with Lorenzana admitting that the Chief Executive did not want to provoke any war after the PCA ruling. DEMPSEY REYES
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